Former L.A. cop charged with sex crime on cruise ship
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A retired police sergeant and former television reporter was charged with having a sexual encounter with two 12-year-old boys in a cruise ship spa, authorities said.
Roderick Bernsen, 58, was arrested at the Port of Los Angeles Saturday by FBI agents investigating a complaint by the mother of one of the boys, authorities said.
He is charged with one count of abusive sexual contact. Bail was set at $850,000 Tuesday during his first appearance in federal court."He is shocked and devastated by these charges, as minor as they are," said Bernsen's attorney, James Epstein. "I think we should let this play out in court." (Shocked and devastated? Sexual misconduct doesn't sound like a minor charge to me! Throw the book at him!)
While aboard a Princess cruise ship to Mexico, Bernsen met and befriended the boys after they sneaked into a spa restricted to men and women over the age of 16, according to an FBI affidavit.
The boys alleged that Bernsen inappropriately touched himself in front of them in the steam room. They claim he later followed them to shower stalls where he inappropriately touched them, the affidavit said.
The boys told their parents about the alleged incident, which
led to a heated discussion between a boy's mother and Bernsen, the affidavit said. They reported him to the security staff, which also spoke with Bernsen about the complaints.
"Bernsen stated that he spoke to the boys, but not in an inappropriate manner," the document said. Bernsen, who lives in Colorado, was KTTV-TV's law enforcement specialist until he left the station in 2004. His broadcasting career followed service in the Los Angeles Police Department as a sergeant and spokesman.
From late last year until May, he filled in as a host on KFI-AM, Los Angeles' most popular talk radio station.
Roderick Bernsen, 58, was arrested at the Port of Los Angeles Saturday by FBI agents investigating a complaint by the mother of one of the boys, authorities said.
He is charged with one count of abusive sexual contact. Bail was set at $850,000 Tuesday during his first appearance in federal court."He is shocked and devastated by these charges, as minor as they are," said Bernsen's attorney, James Epstein. "I think we should let this play out in court." (Shocked and devastated? Sexual misconduct doesn't sound like a minor charge to me! Throw the book at him!)
While aboard a Princess cruise ship to Mexico, Bernsen met and befriended the boys after they sneaked into a spa restricted to men and women over the age of 16, according to an FBI affidavit.
The boys alleged that Bernsen inappropriately touched himself in front of them in the steam room. They claim he later followed them to shower stalls where he inappropriately touched them, the affidavit said.
The boys told their parents about the alleged incident, which
led to a heated discussion between a boy's mother and Bernsen, the affidavit said. They reported him to the security staff, which also spoke with Bernsen about the complaints."Bernsen stated that he spoke to the boys, but not in an inappropriate manner," the document said. Bernsen, who lives in Colorado, was KTTV-TV's law enforcement specialist until he left the station in 2004. His broadcasting career followed service in the Los Angeles Police Department as a sergeant and spokesman.
From late last year until May, he filled in as a host on KFI-AM, Los Angeles' most popular talk radio station.
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