Man who said he couldn’t sexually abuse stepdaughter ‘due to the size of his belly fat’ is sentenced

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. (TCN) — A 44-year-old man will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars for sexually abusing his stepdaughter, who was also assaulted by her 52-year-old biological mother.

The 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced March 4 that Brandon Berg was convicted of three counts of sexual assault on a child by a person in position of trust, aggravated incest, and second-degree assault. He received a sentence of 80 years to life in the Department of Corrections.

Brandon Berg’s wife, 52-year-old Rebecca Berg, was also convicted in the abuse of her biological daughter on two counts of aggravated incest. She received a sentence of four years to life in prison, plus an additional 20 years to life of sex offender intensive supervision.

The victim called the Aurora Police Department in 2020 to report the sexual abuse. She was 19 at the time but claimed she had been sexually assaulted multiple times beginning at age 15.

According to prosecutors, the victim said she had “sexual encounters” with Brandon Berg to “avoid being physically beaten and injured.” During an interview, a detective noticed a 4-inch long scar on her back, where she alleged Brandon Berg had scratched her with a fork.

The victim had also reportedly sustained a severe scar on the back of her shoulder. The victim claimed the injury happened when Brandon Berg used a heated knife to brand her with the initials “R.B.,” which she suspected stood for Brandon Berg and Rebecca Berg, her stepfather and biological mother.

The victim had allegedly been sexually assaulted the day before police took the incident report. Investigators sent in her clothing for testing and found Brandon Berg’s DNA on the victim’s underwear and body.

According to the district attorney’s office, Berg claimed he was “unable to have sexual intercourse due to the size of his belly fat and small size of his genitalia.” He also stated that “he had an alternate sexual orientation which made him disinterested in the conduct alleged.” The defendant testified and continued these claims.

Rebecca Berg joined in the abuse on occasion, and both defendants were tried together with the same jury.

Assistant District Attorney Ryan Brackley said, “These defendants robbed a young girl of her teenage years –– sexually, physically and emotionally abusing her. It’s appalling that a mother and stepfather would repeatedly abuse someone they were supposed to love and support. While no length of time in prison will undo the trauma the victim of these horrible crimes endured, we hope these sentences will offer her some measure of healing.”

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