St. Cloud Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty To Sexual Conduct

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- A St. Cloud man's lengthy legal battle over a criminal sexual conduct case has ended after a judge imposed a stay of imposition at his sentencing.

Thirty-five-year-old Robert Bernard is sentenced to probation with credit for 68 days in the Stearns County jail.

Bernard pleaded guilty in July 2024 to having intercourse with an underage runaway girl. He tried to withdraw the plea in January, claiming it was made under duress. A judge denied the motion last July and ordered Bernard to undergo a mental competency exam. He was found competent to face the charge in October.

As part of the plea agreement, Bernard is allowed to serve out his conviction through five years of probation.

According to the charges, Bernard went with the girl to a North St. Cloud apartment building and had sexual intercourse with her. Court records show Bernard admitted to having intercourse with the victim, but said she told him that she was 19 years old.

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Filed Under: stearns county district court