NEWTON — A Newton police officer was arrested Monday on accusations that he unzipped his pants and exposed himself to young male drivers during "numerous" traffic stops.

Jason R. Miller, 37, of Hampton Township, a patrolman since 2001, turned himself in at the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office and has been indefinitely suspended without pay pending the outcome of the criminal case, according to a statement issued by Sussex County Prosecutor Francis Koch and Newton Police Chief Michael Richards.

Miller was charged with two counts of official misconduct, one count of a pattern of official misconduct and one count of lewdness, the statement said.

Miller would expose his genitals to motorists "to satisfy his prurient interests" and then let them leave without issuing traffic summonses, according to a police complaint.

The incidents occurred between March 18 and Oct. 23 of this year, the complaint says.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Critchley set bail at $35,000 with a 10 percent option and the condition that Miller surrender all firearms, the prosecutor's statement said. Miller posted the bail, the statement added.

The statement said Newton police received an anonymous tip on Oct. 23 reporting an allegation of misconduct by Miller and then another anonymous message on Oct. 24.

Based on the information, "an immediate investigation ensued" and following a review of patrol car video recordings and interviews, Miller was suspended on Oct. 28, the statement said.

An affidavit signed by Capt. Donald Peter of the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office detailed what appeared to be a pattern of behavior by Miller during several traffic stops.

The investigation took officers back to March 18, when Miller stopped a 26-year-old male who was driving 16 miles per hour over the speed limit and acknowledged on an audio recording that he had consumed alcohol, Peter said in his affidavit.

While Officer Miller was in his patrol car and after his initial interaction with the man he stopped, "you can hear what appears to be the sound of a zipper opening and/or closing," Peter said.

"Officer Miller did not issue any motor vehicle summonses, nor investigate (the man) for driving while intoxicated, despite the driver's admission to consuming alcohol and coming directly from a bar," Peter said.

On Oct. 23, Miller stopped a 22-year-old male who was leaving O'Reilly's Pub sometime after midnight and the young man noticed the officer's zipper was down and his genitals were exposed, Peter said in his affidavit. The young man said Miller asked him several times where he was going and where he lived, and that made him "uncomfortable."

During a review of the video recording of the interview, "it appears that Officer Miller's zipper is open" and his genitals were visible, Peter said. The young man drove home and was not issued a ticket, Peter said.

Miller's attorney, Anthony Iacullo, said his client is innocent.

"Officer Miller is an excellent officer who vehemently denies these allegations, as they are false and baseless," Iacullo said in a statement. "We are confident that when this matter is heard in a court of law, Mr. Miller will be exonerated of all the charges."

Anyone with further information is asked to contact the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office at 973-383-1570.

Ben Horowitz may be reached at bhorowitz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @HorowitzBen. Find NJ.com on Facebook.