Rochert man charged with sexual assault, kidnapping – Detroit Lakes Tribune

DETROIT LAKES – Benjamin Ivory Bergman, 44, of the Rochert area, was charged in Becker County District Court with first-degree sexual abuse, kidnapping to facilitate a serious felony and third-degree sexual abuse, all felonies.

According to court documents, he picked up a girl under the age of 15 after speaking to her on Snapchat. In their Snapchat conversation, the girl told him her age, 14, and he said that was fine with him and asked for photos. He then drove about 15 miles to pick her up from her parents' house around 4:30 a.m. She met him outside, he gave her a ride to his house and then took her home. Her parents noticed her missing and police officers were waiting for Bergman when he dropped her off.

Bergman initially told them he drove the girl home because she was walking near his house. He then claimed her grandmother lived near him and she was at her grandmother's. When officers continued to speak with Bergman, he admitted he met the girl through Snapchat and he didn't find out her age “until later.” He denied having sexual intercourse with the girl and later admitted to deleting everything from his phone.

A sheriff's officer learned from the girl's sister that the girl had stated that Bergman had sex with her. She then told officers that “stuff” had happened with “Ben.” She stated that they had sex in his house, added that they had sex in his bed, and described the look and decor of Bergman's bedroom in detail.

The girl added that Bergman used “a little force” against her, and she noted that she “didn't really mean to do it.” The girl later told a doctor that Bergman put both hands around her neck and described it as feeling like he was choking her.

On July 22, Bergman's bail was set at $300,000 without conditions, or $150,000 with standard conditions, which include not drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs, using GPS monitoring at his own expense, not having contact with the victim, not using social media, not using the internet except to communicate with an attorney, turning on an alcohol monitor at his own expense, and not having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18, except with his minor children when supervised by paternal grandparents or another approved adult.

His next court date before Becker County District Judge Gretchen Thilmony is scheduled for October 7.

On July 25, his attorney, Kent D. Marshall of Barrett, Minnesota, filed a motion saying Bergman had the right to remove Thilmony from the case and replace him with another judge. No reason was given for the motion to remove him, and no action has been taken so far.

Ricky Dee Thomas Jr., 30, of Detroit Lakes, was convicted in Becker County District Court of a fifth-degree drug offense and a felony count of drunken driving.

According to court documents, on the evening of February 13, 2023, an officer saw Thomas drive by and turn into the parking lot of Team Industries. The officer was familiar with the vehicle, recognized Thomas, and knew he was wanted on a warrant.

Thomas appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance, as evidenced by his pupils and the pimples on his tongue. He failed field sobriety tests and was arrested. A baggie containing approximately two-thirds of a gram of meth was found in the center console.

On July 10, District Judge Michelle Lawson sentenced him to 13 months in prison in St. Cloud for drug charges, with the sentence remaining for five years. He was sentenced to 52 days in jail, but received credit for those days.

He was fined $500 and ordered to pay $150 in court costs.

He was required to undergo a comprehensive evaluation and follow recommendations, including aftercare, and was placed on probation for five years.

He was sentenced to 364 days in jail for drunk driving, of which 312 days were credited over four years, with 52 days of time already served given credit. He was fined $30 and had to attend a hearing held by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.