Stillwater mortgage broker charged in sexual assault of teen
A high-profile Stillwater mortgage broker has been charged with plying a 16-year-old girl with alcohol and sexually assaulting her in front of her boyfriend.
Michael James Bergum, 35, faces a count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony, and a count of furnishing alcohol to a minor, a gross misdemeanor. If convicted of the more serious charge, he could spend up to 15 years in jail.
The Washington County attorney’s office filed the charges Thursday. First Assistant County Attorney Sue Harris said her office also is reviewing three similar sexual assault cases against Bergum that were investigated by Bayport police. They all involve teenage girls.
“There is definite concern in the community regarding Mr. Bergum’s behavior,” Harris said. “He will be held accountable for his behavior.”
Bergum’s attorney, Craig Cascarano, said, “We believe the charges are unsubstantiated, and we are anxious – and I emphasize anxious – to go to trial, because we are confident Mr. Bergum will be vindicated.”
Bergum, who lives in Bayport, is the chief executive officer of Mortgage Financial Services in Stillwater.
According to the criminal complaint, on July 15, Bergum was drinking at his Osprey Boulevard home with the girl and the girl’s 17-year-old boyfriend. He gave her as many as six beers that afternoon, prosecutors say, and about 11 p.m., he began serving drinks such as Grey Goose vodka with cranberry juice.
The girl told police she drank two cocktails while she and her boyfriend were with Bergum in his kitchen.
Later in his garage, the complaint states, Bergum gave them a capful of a clear liquid he had in a water bottle – something he called “gorilla” – which they drank. Bayport police say “gorilla” is the street name of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, a date-rape drug.
The girl began feeling dizzy and “out of it” as she walked back into the house with Bergum.
Bergum became “very touchy” with her, laughed and groped her as they walked back into the kitchen, the complaint states.
Later that night, as she and her boyfriend were in a car ready to go to Taco Bell, prosecutors say, Bergum laughed, slid his hand up her shorts and touched her sexually.
At that point, the girl’s boyfriend yelled at Bergum, and the girl jumped into the backseat of the car and began to cry. Then she ran into the house to hide in a bedroom and sleep.
A witness told police Bergum was “completely drunk” at the time of the incident.
A short time later, Bergum went into the bedroom to apologize. He then lay down next to her, prosecutors say, and touched her rear end.
The girl’s boyfriend told Bergum to leave the room, which he did.
The next day, prosecutors say, Bergum acted as if nothing had happened.
The girl told police Bergum had groped her about 10 times in the past, usually when he was drinking.
Bergum is on probation on a fifth-degree drug charge for possessing cocaine, Harris said.
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