MONROE COUNTY — Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough announced the arrest of a Newport man following an investigation by the Violent Internet Predator Exploitation Response team.
58-year-old Silvio Berge, a German citizen in the United States on a visa, was arrested after a month-long investigation. During the investigation, VIPER detectives were targeted online, where they were groomed and solicited for sexual activity.
“The case was presented to the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office, which authorized a two-count felony warrant for Mr. Berge’s arrest,” Goodnough said.
Berge was arrested by detectives on Tuesday, March 18, and arraigned on Wednesday, March 19, in the 1st District Court on charges of accosting children for immoral purposes and internet communication with another to commit a crime. His bond was set at $200,000 with conditions.
The United States Border Patrol was contacted for further investigation into Berge’s immigration status.
— You can reach Connor Veenstra at cveenstra@gannett.com.
