Religious Goods Store Owner Accused Of Drugging, Sexually Assaulting Teen Boy

The first day at a new job can be daunting for anyone -- especially if your boss feeds you muscle relaxers and then sexually assaults you, which is what authorities say the owner of a Long Island religious goods store did to a 17-year-old boy earlier this year.

According to authorities, on January 3, 44-year-old Daniel Miller, the owner of Botanica -- a religious goods store on Mott Street in Inwood -- had the boy drink some sort of liquid mixed with Lorazepam, a powerful muscle relaxer.

As we mentioned, it was the victim's first day working at Miller's shop.

When the victim drank the Lorazepam, it was about 4:30 p.m. He woke up 12 hours later at Miller's house. The boy had Miller drive him home and then called police.

However, Miller wasn't arrested until yesterday, nearly four months after he allegedly drugged a teenager and sexually assaulted him.

A spokeswoman for the Nassau County Police Department tells the Voice the delay in arresting Miller was because it took nearly four months to complete the investigation.

"Sometimes it takes even longer," she says.

Miller, as you might imagine, is in some pretty deep shit -- he was booked into jail on one count of first-degree criminal sexual act, a class-B felony.

When he was arrested, Miller complained of chest pains and was admitted to a Long Island hospital. Authorities say he will be arraigned when it's "practical."

It's unclear whether Miller's hired an attorney.