Freeborn County man pleads guilty to sexually abusing child

(ABC 6 News) – Elijah Berryman of Myrtle pleaded guilty to all four counts of 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct in Freeborn County Court Wednesday, March 8.

Berryman, 25, was accused of repeatedly sexually abusing an 8-year-old child, beginning in 2015 and ending in 2016.

According to court documents, Berryman was 18 years old at the time of the attacks.

Berryman’s guilty plea documentation did not detail an agreement between his defense and the prosecution.

The mandatory minimum sentence for a 1^st-degree criminal sexual conduct charge is 12 years if convicted, with a maximum sentence of 30 years and a $40,000 fine.

Berryman’s sentencing is scheduled for May 11, 2023.

(ABC 6 News) – A Myrtle man appeared in court Wednesday morning on four counts of 1^st-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Elijah Berryman, 25, has remained in Freeborn County Jail on $400,000 bond since his arrest in April of 2022, when he was accused of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old child over the course of a year and a half beginning in 2015.

The child reported the alleged assaults in April of 2022, at age 14. Berryman was reportedly 18 years old at the time of the alleged attacks.

According to court documents, Berryman told Freeborn County law enforcement that he had conducted around 12 sexual encounters with the child.

Berryman’s pretrial was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, with a jury trial Jan. 30. However, Berryman’s trial was canceled, and he has a plea hearing scheduled for March 8.

Berryman’s plea deal has not yet been entered into Minnesota Court Records online.

The mandatory minimum sentence for a 1^st-degree criminal sexual conduct conviction is 12 years if convicted, with a maximum sentence of 30 years and a $40,000 fine.