Daniel Berger, Transporting Minor for Sex, New Jersey 2013

A 27-year-old New Jersey man has been charged with transporting a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, according to federal court documents. Daniel Berger, of Haskell, New Jersey, appeared in U.S. District Court in Providence on Friday, where he pleaded not guilty to the charge. The alleged crime took place on July 24, 2013, when Berger allegedly traveled from New Jersey to Rhode Island to meet with a minor female he befriended online.

According to prosecutors, Berger then transported the minor to his residence in Haskell, New Jersey, with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. An Amber Alert was issued in Rhode Island, prompting a joint investigation by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in Rhode Island and New Jersey. FBI agents from Newark assisted by local and state law enforcement officers recovered the victim shortly after midnight at Berger’s residence.

Berger was detained in New Jersey on a federal criminal complaint issued in the District of Rhode Island and was transported to Rhode Island on July 29, 2013, by the United States Marshals Service. He was ordered detained following an initial appearance on July 30, 2013, in U.S. District Court in Providence.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen G. Dambruch and Milind M. Shah. If convicted of transporting a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, Berger faces statutory penalties of 10 years to life in federal prison, up to 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

The investigation was led by the FBI, with assistance from the Portsmouth Police, Rhode Island State Police, and local police departments in New Jersey. The case highlights the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies to protect vulnerable victims and bring perpetrators to justice.

An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. Berger is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island is committed to protecting the community from sex crimes and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. This case serves as a reminder of the severity of these crimes and the importance of reporting suspicious activity to the authorities.

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