Sex offender sentenced

A Genoa man was placed on community control for two years after pleading guilty Wednesday to a charge of gross sexual imposition.
Joseph T. Bergman, 68, will also have to register as a Tier 1 sex offender and register with the sheriff’s office every year for 15 years, according to the sentence imposed by the Ottawa County Common Pleas Court.
He was also directed to have a psychological assessment and follow treatment recommendations and verify the treatment with the county adult probation department.
The case didn’t require a mandatory prison term, visiting judge Janet Burnside noted in the sentencing documents.
In September, 2021, Bergman was indicted on two counts of rape and two counts of gross sexual imposition,
One rape count and one gross sexual imposition count stated the ability of the alleged victim to resist or consent “was substantially impaired because of a mental or physical condition.”
However, in May, Bergman withdrew his not guilty plea and entered a guilty plea to one count of gross sexual imposition, a fourth-degree felony. The court agreed to a motion by the prosecution to dismiss the other three counts.
According to court records, Bergman and the two victims were employed at the Luther Home of Mercy, Williston, at the time of the incidents.
The prosecution was prepared to argue that sometime between April 1 and May 6, 2020, Bergman entered a supply closet and grabbed one of the victims’ breasts and groped her genitalia. On May 7, Bergman was questioned about the incident by supervisors and he admitted to engaging in sexual behavior with the victim but claimed it was consensual and she initiated the conduct.
A similar incident in a supply closet was reported by another employee in late 2019 who said Bergman grabbed her breasts.