Westlake Man Arrested for the 16th Time on Sex Offender Charges

kplctv.com ^ | 07/17/08 | kplctv.com

[TornadoAlley3]

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office got information from three more victims against Charles L. Bergeron Sr. Bergeron is currently incarcerated on other sex charges.

According to CPSO, a 20-year-old man said Bergeron performed oral sex on him at different times when the victim was 16-years-old. The victim also said this happened at Bergeron's house. Bergeron was charged with 25 counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile. Judge Michael Canaday set his bond at $2.5 million.

A 23-year-old man said Bergeron gave him alchohol with Somas and Xanax before performing oral sex on him. Bergeron was charged with forcible rape and his bond was set at $750,000.

The third person to come forward was an 18-year-old man who said Bergeron performed oral sex on him numerous times when the victim was 13-years-old. The man said this took place at a Westlake cemetery and at Bergeron's house. Bergeron was charged with 25 counts of oral sexual battery and 25 counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile. Judge Michael Canaday set his bond on these 50 counts at $5 million.

Bergeron was incarcerated in the Calcasieu Correctional Center on June 28th on two counts of molestation of a juvenile. His bond for those charges was set by Judge Michael Canaday at $1.3 million.

Bergeron's total bond on all charges set by Judge Michael Canaday total $9.5 million.

These latest arrests, added to earlier arrests dating back to 1975, add up to 16 arrests for sex crimes against children.

The lead investigataor on this case is CPSO Detective Michael Primeaux.

[null and void]

This guy really sucks!

[null and void]

ll sex offenders should be required to live within 500 feet of an elected politician, judge, parole commissioner, or ACLU member.

I like the way you think...

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Just toss him to the ‘gators. Done.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

And why poison the wildlife?

Hey, it's just 'gators. They'll do just fine.
Besides, what else you gonna do with them? Shoes? Handbags?

[NativeSon]

what 16 year old can’t ID a filthy old h0m0 when he/she sees one? I mean, c’mon, I remember the old fruity b@stards when I was a kid.

[snarkytart]

Some cases it's like you say, but in a lot of cases the judge has a lot of latitude and doesn't sentence the SO to much time at all.
Remember the judge in Vermont who gave a man a few months for sexually assaulting a little girl? I think she was five years old.
Then if the SO gets “treated” in some program they can get early release with little to no restrictions.
This type of offender is the worst type, because they are not treatable and it's a guarantee they'll repeat their crime.

[snarkytart]

“since 1975 and he was caught 16 times, no telling how many he did not get busted for.”

Exactly. Scary thought!

[Neoliberalnot]

Yep, lived in the Bay Area of San fran back in late 60s and early 70s when homosexuals were routinely arrested for picking up boys and taking them into bars. They called them dirty old men and the homosexuals called the boys twinks. Ancient Romans called the boys catamites. Now we have them being adopted.

[TKDietz]

I remember that case. That was a crazy judge who wouldn't follow the prosecutor's recommendations. That's not the norm, at all. Actually super liberal trial level judges aren't the norm. They just make for good news stories that get people worked up and help sell a lot of advertising. In real life trial court level judges tend to be prosecutors in black robes who want to nail everyone. Of course in most states they are elected and the last thing they want to be known as is liberal, soft on crime. Usually if it's up to the judge the judge will nail people really hard. They want as many cases resolved by plea as possible. They're hard on defendants so they'll look tough in the news and to other defendants in court and their attorneys. They make examples out of people if they have to do the sentencing so that people will know that the best thing to do in their court is to shut up and plead. The more people plead the easier their jobs are. If too many try their cases, judges’ jobs become impossible.

Only something like 2.5% of all felony cases ever make it to jury trial. Almost all the rest are resolved by plea bargain and that's just the way the judges want (and need) it to stay. So, they strongly “encourage” prosecutors and defense attorneys to work the cases out and they rarely ever refuse to go along with whatever deal the attorneys work out. This isn't what happens “some” of the time. This is what happens almost all of the time in state courts in most parts of the country. I know a little about this. I've been practicing law a lot of years in a lot of different courts. I've prosecuted and defended people, handled thousands of criminal cases, including quite a few sex offender cases.

[DemonDeac]

16th time? He should have had his nuts cut off years ago.

[CGTRWK]

The victim also said this happened at Bergeron's house.

So what exactly did these little pervert expect to happen, repeatedly visiting an old pervert's house? No sympathy for either of them. Guilt enough to go around - and rope and tree limbs enough too.

[snarkytart]

It’s just not true. That’s why Mark Lunsford has been pushing for mandatory sentences for SO, because they are not given serious time, and then usually do not serve the little time they are given.
Case after case, over and over...repeat offenders, raping and molesting kids.

[TKDietz]

Everything I said is absolutely true. These guys are often not getting long enough sentences though. I’ll grant you that. The point I was trying to make was that this is more the fault of prosecutors than judges.

[snarkytart]

The only thing a prosecutor can do in most cases, and in most states, is recommend a sentence, but without mandatory sentence guidlines, a judge can do as he/she wishes.

[TKDietz]

Whatever buddy. I’ve told you how things work. You can believe what you want to believe.

[Colorado Cowgirl]

” Just toss him to the ‘gators.” Absolutely ! Please tell me why he is still breathing??