Canadian Trucker Charged With Soliciting a Teen in Stearns County

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- A Canadian truck driver is charged in Stearns County with soliciting a minor.

According to the criminal complaint, 61-year-old Bernhard Froese of Tillsonburg, Ontario, texted someone he thought was a 17-year-old girl through a website commonly used for the solicitation of sex.

The fictional girl was created by an investigator with the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force.

Froese allegedly texted that he was looking for the girl to provide a sex act for money.

Court records show an agreement was made where the fictional girl would meet him at a south St. Cloud truckstop, where he was parked.

The man gave a description of what he was wearing and what his truck looked like. When the undercover officer told Froese that they were at the location, he was arrested as he approached the vehicle.

According to the charging complaint, Froese admitted to investigators that he had intentions to meet a 17-year-old girl for sex. He also allegedly admitted how much he was going to pay and believed anyone over 16-years-old in Canada is considered an adult.

Froese is charged with one count of prostitution - agreeing to hire a 16 or 17-year-old.

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