By Journal Staff

MENOMINEE — Dylan Michael Berger, 29, of Carney was sentenced to 50 months to 10 years in prison for assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder or by strangulation, and a separate count of domestic violence, Menominee County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey T. Rogg announced.

The sentence was handed down on Friday by Judge Mary B. Barglind in the 41st Circuit Court.

Rogg said the case began on Jan. 22, 2022 when Menominee County Sheriff’s Office deputies Vincent Studer and Aaron Ihander responded to W2407 U.S. 2/U.S. 41 in Harris Township in response to a 911 dispatch in which a “domestic with strangulation” was reported.

Deputies located the victim outside in her vehicle. She reported that Berger, her boyfriend, had awoken her from a sound sleep and choked her about the neck with his hands to the point where she lost consciousness.

As police approached the residence, Berger shot himself in the chin with the 9mm pistol.

Berger was convicted on Feb. 15 following a jury trial.

“My chief assistant, Jerry Karafa, did an excellent job with the tender victim in seeing her through to a successful presentation to the jury,” Rogg said in a news release. “Foremost amongst the people to thank for this excellent outcome is the victim, who had to relive her trauma in front of 12 strangers at the trial. We should all be so brave.”

Rogg said the most dangerous domestic violence offenders strangle their victims.

“We used to think all abusers were equal,” he said. “They are not. The research has made clear that when a man puts his hands around a woman’s neck, he has just raised his hand and said, ‘I’m a potential killer.’ Strangulation is also a former of power and control, which can have a devastating psychological effect on victims, in addition to the potentially fatal outcome.

“I hope that, in addition to the punishment of Mr. Berger, this sentence will serve as a general deterrent to those who could commit domestic violence crimes in Menominee.”