Felony sexual assault case goes to jury

An eight-woman, four-man jury began deliberating Thursday afternoon in the trial of Darwin Berosik.

Berosik is charged with two counts of felony sexual assault against two minor girls in 2005.

In closing arguments, deputy county attorney Lori Adams said Berosik “groomed” his victims before the alleged activity occurred.

“The defendant got his sexual fantasy turned into a reality,” Adams said.

Berosik’s longtime friend John Young testified that Berosik had the alleged victim, who was 15 at the time, get Berosik a prostitute, deputy county attorney Travis Ahner said. This confirmed the 15-year-old’s testimony, Ahner said. 

Defense attorney Jennifer Streano told the jury that “the most common types of false sexual allegations concern teenage girls trying to change their living situation and conceal consensual sex. We’re not seeing them at 15 or 16,” Streano said, noting the alleged victims are now 20 and 22.

“This is the textbook scenario for a false allegation to occur.”

It is the third time Berosik has faced the charges after an earlier jury couldn’t reach a verdict and a subsequent conviction was thrown out by the state Supreme Court last year on a procedural issue.