COLUMBUS, Ind— A Bartholomew County man is in jail following a months-long investigation into allegations that he sexually abused a child over several years.
Columbus Police Department (CPD) detectives began investigating after the victim reported the abuse in January of this year, in which the juvenile alleged that Shaun Berger, 44, of Columbus, had abused her on multiple occasions since she was seven.
Through the investigation, CPD gathered evidence and worked with Bartholomew County officials. After a warrant was issued for his arrest, officers began searching for the suspect. They located his vehicle on June 10, but not him.
When investigators were able to speak to Berger over the phone, he turned himself in later that day. He remains in the Bartholomew County Jail on a $850,000 bond.
The Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office filed formal criminal charges of:
- Attempted Rape (Level 3 Felony)
- Child Molestation (Level 4 Felony)
- Child Seduction (Level 5 Felony)
- Criminal Confinement (Level 5 Felony)
- Voyeurism (Misdemeanor – A)
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
