PROVO -- An 18-year-old Cedar Hills man faces trials on 10 felony charges and one misdemeanor in two sexual abuse cases.

Sergey Tyler Millett is charged in his first case with aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony, forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony, and sexual battery, a class A misdemeanor. An American Fork police officer testified at Millett's preliminary hearing on Wednesday that Millett and a juvenile male forcibly removed a 16-year-old's clothing after her repeated refusal to strip for them and a third boy.

Lt. Darren Falslev said the assault happened when the teens were traveling in a car together. One of the boys had never seen a naked woman, so Millett and the other boy began trying to convince the girl to strip. When the group got to the girl's home in Cedar Hills, Millett and the boy wrestled the victim and held her down while removing her clothing, he said.

"The victim stated that she repeatedly refused this," Falslev said.

Millett allegedly held the girl down while the juvenile untied her bathing suit top, but the victim said Millett eventually pulled the top off over her head when the boy was unable to untie the strings. Throughout what she said was a 10 to 20 minute attack, the girl tried to resist the boys and covered herself with a blanket when they prevailed. Even then, however, the blanket was ripped away and the girl ran and hid until the boys left, Falslev said.

Falslev said Millett admitted to the attack, but implied the girl was a willing participant. When he was told the girl said she was terrified and humiliated, Millett seemed to be surprised and said he felt bad, Falslev said.

Judge Claudia Laycock said a forcible sexual abuse charge generally results from skin to skin contact, but this case falls under an indecent liberties clause in the statute. Indecent liberties that rise to the level and gravity of skin to skin abuse are also considered forcible sexual abuse, she said.

"I find here that it does," she said. "These two boys are all over her, the defendant admits that he's holding her down."

Laycock also ruled there was enough evidence for Millet to go to trial on six additional forcible sexual abuse charges and two first-degree felony charges of attempted rape and forcible sodomy for a relationship he had with a 14-year-old girl. Prosecutor Craig Johnson said Millett manipulated the girl into a sexual relationship with him.

American Fork police Sgt. Gregg Ludlow said the case came to light when the girl's mother brought her to the police station, saying she believed Millett had been coming into her daughter's room at night. The young girl reportedly provided a written statement to police of various sexual acts the pair performed on each other. Ludlow said Millett initially denied there was any relationship with the girl, but later said her statement was correct. However, he said the girl came onto him and suggested the acts.

"He admitted that it had happened," Ludlow said. "He claimed that she was after him. He was kind of full of himself, actually."

Ludlow said Millett was manipulative in his relationship with the 14-year-old girl, who was enamored with the idea of an 18-year-old man being interested in her. He described an instance when the girl returned from a long trip and Millett asked her for various sexual acts. She refused, but relented when he became angry and said he did not want to date her anymore.

"He admitted to that incident and he told me that he did in fact throw a fit knowing that [the victim] would give in to his demands," Ludlow said.

Defense attorney Barbara Gonzales argued that she did not see any coercion, only a consensual relationship between the two. She argued some of the charges should be dismissed because the victim was a willing participant, often inviting Millett to her home or going to his home on her own.

Laycock, however, said she was convinced there is probable cause for a jury to see all the charges at trial. There was certainly enticement going on, she said, and the jury needs to see the big picture in the case.

"I think it's a jury question," she said. "I think they are entitled to look at the entire relationship, the nature of the relationship, how he groomed her."

Johnson said the county attorney's office is concerned about Millett's aggressive tendencies and hopes he will see his actions will not be tolerated. By statute, an 18-year-old man dating a 14-year-old girl is coercive, he said, and Millett knew what to say and do to get the girl to comply.

"He's a predator," Johnson said. "We've got a 14-year-old victim, we've got a 16-year-old victim."

Millett will be arraigned on his charges Oct. 21.

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