FORMAN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – A Havana, North Dakota man has been sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping and reckless endangerment charges stemming from an incident last fall.
Ryan Bergh, 48, was sentenced for holding bartender Melissa Wolter hostage at gunpoint in October. Bergh received credit for nearly a year spent in jail and may be eligible for early release on good behavior.
The ordeal began when Bergh kidnapped Wolter and held her for hours. After an extended standoff, the two agreed to drive to the home of Sargent County Sheriff Travis Paeper. Once they arrived, Wolter managed to disarm Bergh and ran into the sheriff’s home screaming for help while Paeper was asleep inside.
Bergh was subsequently arrested in the front yard of the sheriff’s residence.