Columbia man faces drug charges and posting indecent videos from public areas

A Columbia man has been charged after using drugs in several public areas and then posting inappropriate videos on social media.

Cooper County Sheriff Chris Class posted about the arrest on the office's Facebook page.

In the post, Sheriff Class explained that investigators have been searching for the individual since December 2023.

The person would visit areas in Cooper County including rest areas along Interstate 70, the Big Muddy Wildlife Refuge, nature preserves and the Katy Trail.

Court documents show he also frequented gravel roads and forest trails in Cooper, Howard, Randolph and Boone counties.

The documents also state that investigators were aware of incidents in December 2023, February 2024, April 2024, June 2024, July 2024 and October 2024.

There may have been more that were not posted on a public platform.

The man disguised himself as a woman and then filmed himself taking illegal drugs.

He then filmed himself performing sexual acts on himself in public areas.

He then posted the videos on Snapchat and Instagram under a false name.

On Tuesday, investigators were able to locate the person who was actively posting on social media.

His tracking activity determined he was at a rest area on I-70 in Cooper County.

Officers and investigators went to the rest area and arrested Jay Miller, 45, of Columbia.

Sheriff Class' post said methamphetamine and illegal prescription drugs were found in the vehicle, as well as several electronic devices.

Prosecutors charged Miller with three counts of first-degree sexual misconduct and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.

Miller posted $20,000 bail and was released from the Cooper County Detention Center.