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An Iron County football coach asked his players to take pain pills from their parents' medicine cabinets and give them to him, according to court documents.
Carter Lynn Miller asked two 16-year-old players at Canyon View High School, where he worked as a coach and teacher, for medication at separate times since December of last year, according to charges filed in 5th District Court on Thursday.
Earlier this month, one of the teens gave Miller five Oxycontin pills belonging to his mother, court documents state. Later that evening, the 33-year-old Miller reportedly sent the player a text message asking for more pills and the teen gave him a bottle of more than 20 Lortab pills.
On two other occasions, another player gave Miller pain pills from his home, according to the documents.
"Both students said ... they considered him a friend," police wrote in a probable cause statement. One player "said Miller made him feel like he could trust him enough to ask for the pills. Neither student said they were paid for the pills or promised anything in return."
Miller faces four counts of arranging to distribute a controlled substance, a first-degree felony; four counts of possession of a controlled substance, a second-degree felony; four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a class B misdemeanor; and four counts of theft by receiving stolen property, a class B misdemeanor.
Miller was in his third year as a special education teacher at Canyon View High School in Cedar City. Miller resigned Wednesday after being suspended on Tuesday, said Iron County School District Superintendent Jim Johnson.
Canyon View Principal Rich Nielsen said police have told him they are not seeking to charge any students. He also said no students are suspended and that he is not seeking punitive action against students.