Broker admits indiscretions at teen party

William Lehman, 58, beat up his court-appointed attorney during an assault trial in St.

[silver tongue]

Just another example of a smooth talking scumbag trying to blame it on something else....you did it in the mortgage business, you did it to the 16 years olds and now your trying to do it with the judge. I'll give ya 6 months Mikey and you'll be back out drinking and molesting 16 years olds once again!!!!

[WOW]

Happy Trails... You'll never make it 10 years...
Your guilty and the whole world knows what you did and that you are a "molester" ... Thank god the poor girls got some closure!

[Money talks]

There are always two sides to every story. One the truth, one how good of an attorney you can afford! Money talks and Mike walks!!!

[Ms Rosemount]

Unfortunetly money does talk in this state. The better your lawyer..or should I say the more expensive your lawyer is...the less time you get. It is not fair, but it is what it is.

[Geo]

Ever notice how the paper always describes arrested brokers, lawyers, etc. as "prominent". I'll bet he's just a regular, no name sleazebag.

[speaking out]

He did a hell of a lot more than what this article reads, but because it can't be proved he gets to walk the streets.

[zeronine]

Too bad he didn't kill a kitten, then people would be creaming for him to be hanged!!

But yeah, him getting 6 months seems like a rather light punishment, he should get a lot more time than that considering that this was not just one isolated incident, but demonstrated a pattern of behavior by him.

[send him away]

I hope he continues to blame it on the booze, and I hope that they throw the book at him. 6 months in jail is a crock, what is he gonna get from that? How is that supposed to help the girls that he abused? Not to mention his own daughters.
I have known him and his parents since the early 80's and he is no better than his father.
MAKE AN EXAMPLE OF HIM.

[Lisa]

Oooh! Mr. Grunseth!

[Kris]

This guy was already on probation for rape. Which the story doesn't state. He's a pig. He's not prominent. He runs a rinky dink mortgage office which he is the sole employee.

http://www.mikebergum.com/StaffProfiles

[John]

Scum, why should he be allowed back in society. As for the Washington County Attorneys comments ""The guy was running a party house in the summer of 2007 furnishing a lot of alcohol to a lot of kids," Washington County Attorney Doug Johnson said after the hearing. "Unfortunately, he took advantage of girls." Why is this unfortunate? Bergum is scum and none of this should have ever happened.

[john doe]

speaking out wrote:

He did a hell of a lot more than what this article reads, but because it can't be proved he gets to walk the streets.

You mean there was more than just "touching" going on

[Reality Check]

Kris, If you are going to post things, make them accurate. He has several employees. More than one office and a full staff. Has made a lot of money in the mortgage business for many years. He has a million dollar plus retail building in Stillwater. Not that it changes anything, but get your facts straight before you post things.

[Lazy parents and pervs]

I must have really missed something. Yes- by all means Mr. Bergum is a perverted mess and should go to jail and suffer consequences. But these "children" are not babies with no responsibility for themselves. They were 15 16 17 and 18 year old young women. Where were their parents when they were getting drunk at this sleazeball's house all summer? How involved could they have been if this went on for months? No teenage girl is mature enough to make lots of decisions, but a teenage girl who is responsible and respectable doesn't get drunk with 35 year olds, and most are astute enough to know that they have no business drinking, especially with adults. These are not "babes in the woods" - they are obviously little lolitas with little to no parental guidance who are on the wrong track. But, of course, since it's the 'burbs they aren't little drunken whores but "victims". If their parents had been involved with their lives instead of complacent with the status quo, Mr. Bergum would have found himself without fast ass young future Hazelden residents to imbibe with. He should be in lots of trouble and for a long time- but parents , YOU are responsible for giving your kids values and morals and making sure they are safe. THANK GOD I live the 'cities where we can take all the blame for everything wrong in MN while the suburbs go to he77.....

[Connie]

Lazy parants and pervs, you hit the nail on the head!! I know the girls and the parents, all I can say is the fruit did not fall far from the tree. The "victims" have been drinking and doing drugs for years. Last summer was not there first time out drinking. They drink and do drugs everyday. They are knowen as the party S---- of the school. They have been out of control for sometime. Back in sixth grade. Your right the lazy parents found the easy way to blame someone for there mistakes. Good for you Mr. Bergum for cleaning up you act. Now parents get your girls some help. I do not agree with what has happend here but come on where were the parents????

[come on]

lazy parents and pervs - before you start talking. make sure you get the story straight. you were not there. and you don't know. the girls were friends of his daughter and were over there for HER. when he came and gave them all alcohol. they were not partying with HIM. they were partying together and he joined. leave the parents out of it because you don't know them either.
comments bashing on victims and parents are unneccessary and hurtful.
especially when you know neither of them personally at all.
also keep in mind that these comments you all say are open to the public - meaning, mike's kids, the victims, parents... everyone can read them, have a little respect and a heart. wow.

[to connie]

you DO NOT know the victims obviously.
my parents are great parents, give me a drug test please.
just because one person out of the group did or does drugs does NOT mean they all do. NOBODY ON HERE KNOWS THE STORY.
IF YOU WERE IN COURT YESTERDAY AND HEARD WHAT WAS SAID YOU WOULD KNOW. you have not been here through this all and DO NOT know what you're talking about. this is ridiculous and hurtful
STOP.

[okay]

wait let me get this straight CONNIE - you're calling these girls party sluts? sounds like you need to go back to high school... stay out of it.

[crazzzzy]

WOW! thats all he gets for the years of being a huge p.o.s. NOT a good prson and every and anybody that knows him can tell you a bad story of him. His Mom was in court...whocares....she is a turd also. Broker.....lol....how many people did he scam with crap loans. Broker....I dont believe he even has a high school diploma. Why would anyone trust this guy with a loan for a home? Te system is a joke!!!

[Penny]

Why is everyone so surprised at this? MN is known for blaming the victims of sexual perversion in a big way. They let the rapists/abusers walk to arrest them another day. He got six months which means he will spend 4 months in the workhouse with work release privileges. So he will be out living his life, paying the jail a weekly rent for the privilege, with a minor slap on the hand. As for morals, who was the adult here??? 15-17 year old girls are very easily influenced by adults, you can't teach your kids to respect adults and then tell them to ignore them. This guy is a slime ball, I don't care how drunk he says he was, obviously that's all he was thinking of and it's just a good thing it didn't go farther. However even if it had, rest assured the girls still would have been blamed and he would walk with a minor blemish on his record. That's the way it works. There are a lot of sick minds out there and unfortunately they permeate all levels including the justice system.