Former Pennsylvania police chief faces charges of sexual assault

A judge dismissed all charges against the former Ligonier Valley police chief in connection with a sexual assault case. John Berger faces several charges, including aggravated sexual assault without consent, sexual assault in an institution and sexual assault by coercion. State police said Berger sexually abused a 25-year-old patient at DreamLife Recovery, an addiction treatment center, while he was employed there. The woman testified she met Berger in 2023 when they were both patients at the facility. She said he made flirtatious comments, but she didn’t think much of it. This year, she finally returned to the facility and was surprised to learn Berger was now employed by DreamLife. She said he would buy her gifts, such as cigarettes. The state said he did this to build a relationship so she would have to rely on him. She testified Berger’s comments became more explicit; it then escalated to the point where he once tried to kiss her, and then he sexually assaulted her in April. In a heated exchange, Berger’s attorney, Duke George, claimed the victim was lying about the assault and was not credible. She said, “I did not make up this story.” George told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that he did not believe the woman. “Considering all the circumstances, there was nothing that made me believe she was telling the truth,” he said. The woman testified she reported the alleged assault to DreamLife the next day, but no action was taken until two days later. Court documents say Berger admitted to the assault during an interview with state police, but that conversation was not mentioned in court. “We will have one more opportunity in front of a jury to prove my client is innocent,” George said. George says Berger no longer works at DreamLife. Berger previously served as Ligonier Valley’s police chief, but was fired from that post in May 2023 after state police and Homeland Security raided the police department. Officials said at the time that the raid was aimed at Berger, but no charges were ever filed following those raids. Pennsylvania State Police ask that you report any concerning interactions with Berger to police.