A West Jordan man who had sex with four high school boys -- some of whom he met online -- was sentenced to prison Monday for up to 15 years.

John Terry Miller pretended to be much younger than his 36 years, according to prosecutors. He also told the boys he related to their confusion over sexual identity.

A former basketball coach who worked at a sporting goods store, Miller promised one boy he could get him onto a high school team in exchange for sex. Miller gave two other boys cash for sex, according to charging documents.

Miller was arrested after a fourth boy reported Miller raped him after picking him up from school and driving him to a Taylorsville hotel.

Charged with numerous crimes, including two counts of first-degree felony sodomy on a child, Miller pleaded guilty in 3rd District Court to one count of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, and two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a 16- or 17-year-old.

Each is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Judge Randall Skanchy ordered all three sentences to run consecutively.

The sentence was handed down after the distraught father of one victim begged the judge to put Miller in prison for as long as possible.

"Protect society, protect my son," the man said between sobs. "Don't let this man hurt our children anymore."

The father said Miller used information the boys had posted on the Internet to befriend them.

"My son had challenges over sexual orientation," the father said. "He didn't like who he was. He was looking for validation."

Prosecutor Katherine Peters, who called Miller "a predator," also urged the judge to impose consecutive prison terms.

But defense attorney Jason Poppleton argued that Miller -- who has already served 288 days in jail -- should be placed on probation.

Poppleton said Miller had successfully completed probation in 2001 in a case of dealing in harmful material to a minor where he let a young relative have a pornographic magazine.

Poppleton also noted Miller had been sexually victimized when he was young.

Miller said he had made "a covenant with God" to never repeat his crimes.

"I know what I felt as a child," Miller told the judge. "I know what I put the victim's through."

shunt@sltrib.com