Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Robert Miller named 2024 FWC Division of Law Enforcement Prosecutor of the Year
FWC staff, Commissioners, Prosecutor Miller and his family with his award
At the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) May Commission meeting, Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Robert Miller of the Orlando Office of Statewide Prosecutor received the 2024 FWC Division of Law Enforcement Prosecutor of the Year award.
The selection of the Prosecutor of the Year Award is made by officers and investigators who work in the field directly with prosecutors on case preparation, determining appropriate charges, issuing subpoenas, reviewing arrest and search warrants, and obtaining justice for wildlife crimes. Miller was nominated for this award by FWC officers in the Northeast Region for his unwavering commitment, knowledge and achievements in defending Florida’s resources.
Miller has shown a keen interest in the complexities of the FWC’s resource-related cases and has applied his 20 years of prosecutorial experience to bring violators to justice. Some of the major FWC cases he has prosecuted include the illegal take of wild turkey, illegal guide service, Operation Viper’s captive wildlife violations, nine subjects who faced a range of charges in the illegal take of black bear and a state park burglary ring.
Miller assisted with a presentation on FWC cases at the Statewide Prosecutor's Annual Conference. The presentation was so well received, many prosecutors expressed interest in prosecuting more natural resource cases moving forward. His dedication to knowledge sharing has been invaluable in training FWC investigators. Miller has also played an important consulting role for the FWC regarding 2023 legislative action on the sale of venomous reptiles to unlicensed individuals.
“Rob continues to seek out opportunities to learn more about the FWC and is always willing to assist,” said Col. Brian Smith, Director of the FWC Division of Law Enforcement. “Conservation law enforcement cases tend to be complex and require working together from the beginning stages of a case. Rob is able to strategize potential issues with a case and look several moves ahead. We are fortunate to have him working alongside our officers helping to conserve the natural resources of Florida. I am honored to present him with this year’s Prosecutor of the Year Award.”
Miller was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1993 and the Ohio Bar in 1999. He is a member of various Federal Bars including the United States Supreme Court. From 1993 to 1999, he served as a public defender in Clearwater and then moved to private practice defending insurance claims. In 1999, he became a prosecutor in Ohio representing the State with Organized Crime Cases, Homicide and Death Penalty Cases. In 2021, he moved back to Florida and took a position at the Office of Statewide Prosecution with a primary focus on natural resource cases. He has tried many criminal and some civil cases including burglaries, robberies, thefts, fraud, murder, rape, death penalty and has written several appeals. He enjoys resource related investigations and has shown a passion to prosecute these cases.