DULUTH - A man serving a civil commitment for mental illness was charged Wednesday in St. Louis County District Court with 10 crimes in connection with an alleged assault and attempted sexual assault of a female staff member at the Canosia Township group home where he lived.
Robert Edward Berendt III, 20, a resident of the Stepping Stones for Living group home at 5922 Helm Road, is charged with three counts of attempted first-degree criminal sexual conduct, three counts of attempted second-degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of kidnapping, second-degree assault and false imprisonment in the Monday incident.
Judge Sally Tarnowski said there was significant reason to be concerned that Berendt is a threat to public safety, and she granted St. Louis County prosecutor Nathaniel Stumme's request that bail be set at $150,000. The defendant is being held in the St. Louis County Jail.
According to the criminal complaint, the victim's co-worker at the group home took two other clients to the Duluth library. Berendt decided to stay at the home with another client who uses a wheelchair and isn't able to provide assistance in an emergency.
The defendant and the 21-year-old victim were playing video games in the basement of the residence about 6 p.m. She saw the butt of a firearm sticking out of his pants pocket. When she questioned him about the replica handgun, he hit her several times in the back of the head with a metal frying pan. He then threatened her with the replica gun that she thought was real.
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Berendt is accused of ordering the woman to tie herself up, but she wasn't able to. He is accused of tying her and placing her on the bed. The complaint alleges that he stuffed a sock into her mouth and wrapped something around her mouth to hold the sock in. He then hit her several more times with the frying pan.
The defendant then took the woman's pants off and hit her several more times with the frying pan. She was able to kick off her pants and shoes and flee. Berendt is accused of throwing a bowling ball at her as she escaped the home to a neighboring residence, where someone called 911.
Sheriff's deputies found several handmade ropes made out of socks and towels tied to a bed where the alleged assault occurred. A replica pistol was found on the floor.
Berendt was located about 8:05 p.m. at the Holiday Station at the intersection of Old Miller Trunk Highway and Midway Road. When asked where he was going, he reportedly said: "I'm going to Canada to start a new life."
According to court records, the defendant was civilly committed in Anoka County as mentally ill in Dec. 12, 2008, and was recommitted as mentally ill for one year starting on Dec. 1, 2009.
The Duluth News Tribune and the Herald are Forum Communications Co. newspapers.
