Benjamin Berg

A former Minot City Council member and former Minot Public School employee has entered a not guilty plea to a Class C felony charge of luring minors by computer.

Benjamin Berg, 35, Minot, was scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in North Central District Court in Minot on Thursday, but filed a waiver and entered a plea of not guilty on Dec. 18.

Berg was arrested on Nov. 15 after the alleged victim reported communications he received from on a messaging app. According to court documents, the juvenile told Minot Police a random account began messaging him, and the conversation quickly turned sexual in nature. Minot Police Department’s investigations division later determined the account was operated by Berg.

The alleged victim said he agreed to meet Berg at a Minot park on Aug. 13, but went there with four other juveniles so he wouldn’t be alone. The juvenile spoke with Berg after he arrived in a vehicle, and provided video of the vehicle’s license plate number to law enforcement.

Berg was elected to the city council in 2014 and didn’t seek reelection in 2018. His employment with Minot Public Schools ended in May 2023.

Berg is scheduled to appear for a pretrial conference on March 5, 2025.