Cops: Frankfort Twp. Man Tried to Buy Sex With Child
A two-month investigation led Will and Cook county authorities to arrest Brandon Bergthold after he set up a meeting with an undercover officer, who posed as a father prostituting out his daughter.
Will County and Cook County sheriff's deputies arrested a Frankfort Township man Thursday, accusing him of trying to arrange an illicit meeting at a New Lenox motel with an undercover officer posing as a father willing to prostitute out his 6-year-old daughter.
Brandon J. Bergthold, 25, of the 7700 block of North Ave., was charged with two felony counts of indecent solicitation of a child and two felony counts of traveling to meet a minor. Additional charges might be forthcoming once there is a review of more evidence, said Will County Sheriff's spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer, adding that the investigation is still open.
Bergthold is being held in the Will County Jail on $750,000. If he is released on bail, he is to have no contact with minors. His next court date is Feb. 17.
The sting was part of two-month investigation started by the Cook County Sheriff's Child Exploitation Unit, according to a joint press release. The unit targeted Bergthold after an investigator noticed he was trying to set up meetings with fathers who would allow him to have sex with their daughters, the report said. For the next two months, an investigator posed as a father with a 6-year-old daughter and was willing to let Bergthold have sex with her, according to the report.
This past weekend, Bergthold pushed for a face-to-face meeting with the dad and daughter, the report said. That's when the investigator set up a meeting at a motel in New Lenox, where Bergthold was arrested without incident, the report stated.
“Bergthold’s demeanor changed, he communicated a sense of urgency in wanting to meet with the undercover officer and the minor child," Will County Sheriff Paul Kaupas said in a statement. "We became worried that he may seek out an unsuspecting victim if we did not end this investigation.”
Investigators also searched Bergthold’s house and confiscated a computer and other electronic media, the report said.
Patch will continue to update this story.
Janet
4:15 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
What a disgusting animal!
SouthSide
4:18 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
Unthinkable. Thank God he was caught!
Joel
4:31 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
I was hungry before I read this article.
DR- Mokena
4:58 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
Congrats to the Sheriff's Dept. in this investigation. Hope it sends a message to others lurking out there that this will not be tolerated.
Diane
5:05 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
Amen to all the above. I can't stand that Man & I don't know him. God only knows what he's done already! Makes me sick!
Chris
5:42 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
I would be going to jail if I ever came across this filth...
mcm
6:05 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
Unbelievable. This story makes me sick. It troubles me that a human is capable of such disgusting behavior.
Judy Makar
6:16 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
Parents just can't take for granted their children's safety and well being even at a playmate's house.
BRW
6:37 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
Pedophiles can't be cured so he should be locked up forever. The inmates will take good care of him.
TP Mom
6:42 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
https://www.facebook.com/bbergthold86
Excuse me while I puke.
N Yan
7:05 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
Disgusting. And what is even more frightening is that there must be a group of fathers out there pimping out their daughters.
MomDonna
9:28 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
Sick freak! All should rot in jail!!
Julie Shaunnessey
9:35 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
Oh my goodness, just when I think I have heard it all! This is one of the those things that doesn't really cross your mind until it happens. N Yan has hit it on the dot! Fathers pimping out their daughters is just unthinkable! Oh my goodness, he needs to be put away! So sad! Thank you to the Will County Sheriffs for getting him off the streets!
Deb Melchert
10:07 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012
What makes this even more disturbing is he lives literally about 3-4 blocks from Summit HIll Junior HS. I wonder if the judge and or prosecutor knows this?
Are you kidding me?
6:00 am on Saturday, January 28, 2012
Deb, he lives at the corner of Frankfort Square Road & North Ave. Less than half mile from SHJR and Indian Trail Schools....scary!
Baba Wawa
9:21 am on Saturday, January 28, 2012
"I wonder if the judge and or prosecutor knows this?"
Apparently they do because he's being held on a very high bond. He'll need $75,000 to post to be released.
Adam Meyer
2:56 am on Saturday, January 28, 2012
I used to work with this guy at lowes in NL... I cant say im surprised he was involved in several harrassment issuse but I never expected this
patti
5:05 am on Saturday, January 28, 2012
I was wondering what people would say who knew him, what was he like in HS? I did not realize fathers pimp their little babies, disgusting! As bad is the pig who looks for this to occupy his time. Lock this psycho up and throw away the key!
GMom
7:19 am on Saturday, January 28, 2012
I'm so upset, this is disgusting, I just got this news and to find out this person may have been around someone that is very close to me, I have to Pray. Its a scripture 2Tim. 3:1-5 that says in the last days people would have no natrural affection, but this is scary to think that someone would even consider allowing someone to sleep with there 6yr old. satan is very busy. we need to read our bible daily.
MGA
9:19 am on Saturday, January 28, 2012
How sick !!! Congrats to the Cook and Will County Sheriff's Dept on getting this piece of garbage. I hope they get the other Pedophiles involved and continue similar investigations as aggressively as possible because this is truly a crime against humanity.
alski
9:37 am on Saturday, January 28, 2012
Thank God......another piece of garbage off the street.
Jeni Healy
9:42 am on Saturday, January 28, 2012
Parents: hug your children. This isn't normal and though it is a reality, don't let this wretched filth waste anymore of your time. The negative emotions this article causes is overwhelming.
Stella Nyder
2:33 pm on Saturday, January 28, 2012
I am wondering if pornography..and the addictiveness- and how easily accesible this is on the internet has alot to do with this. I agree this is so horrifying and disturbing that this individual has caused such harm already all for his self gratification. This is another wake up call for us parents to be vigilant and look out for each others kids and to be in prayer daily for our childrens safety! I am thankful also that he is off the streets too. This is hard to ignore as this is so close to home.
Rebecca Wharrie
2:50 pm on Saturday, January 28, 2012
Stella, I think John is pretty clear in his message and it's dispicable for him to write such things. Where's the report this comment button?
D Greg
3:00 pm on Saturday, January 28, 2012
Gross. Hope they have enough evidence to convict. Wasn't the last guy caught having sex with a minor only given a year probation?
Paul Dailing
3:09 pm on Saturday, January 28, 2012
John's comment has been deleted, as will any future comments by any person attempting to make jokes out of this.
Paul Dailing
Mokena Patch Editor
Honest1
3:39 pm on Saturday, January 28, 2012
Paul,
You collapsed John's first comment from these postings, but it's still on your main page. PLEASE get rid of it!
Paul Dailing
4:03 pm on Saturday, January 28, 2012
It should be gone now that I suspended his user account.
John
3:32 pm on Saturday, January 28, 2012
Turn to the lord for strength:
Do not think that I came to bring peace on Earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:34-39 NASB)
God is more important than our children!
Jeni Healy
3:57 pm on Saturday, January 28, 2012
John...NO child deserves a life like this. I don't give a rat's butt who you are. Christian, Athiest, Buddhist, Jew. If you are quoting the bible to tell us that it is God's will for children to be molested and taken advantage of for the sake of our own sinful realization you are just as wretched as the man who wanted to have sex with a SIX YEAR OLD CHILD. If you are posting to stir the pot...what comes around GOES AROUND, pal.
Paul Dailing
3:58 pm on Saturday, January 28, 2012
`Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.'
Thank you for your comment, but I have a hard time believing you actually care about this considering the nature and content of your previous comments. There is an entire Internet out there. Go and play elsewhere.
Joel
4:07 pm on Saturday, January 28, 2012
John must be a card carrying member of nambla
Paul Dailing
4:31 pm on Saturday, January 28, 2012
We can, however, close comments. My apologies to those who wished to have a real discussion about this issue, but a certain commenter has made that impossible.