On December 5, U.S. Border Patrol agents working at the Gibraltar Station in Michigan arrested Silvio Berge, a 60-year-old from Germany who was convicted of criminal sexual conduct with a child.
Here’s what happened: Berge was in the United States on a valid visa. In March 2025, he tried to solicit sex from what he thought was a teenager online. He didn’t know he was messaging an undercover police officer.
He was arrested, convicted, and sent to jail. He served nearly nine months in Monroe County Jail. When he was released on December 5, Border Patrol agents were waiting. They took him into custody immediately because his conviction resulted in the automatic revocation of his visa.
He will be deported from the United States.
How He Got Caught
Silvio Berge isn’t some anonymous criminal. He’s exactly the kind of predator law enforcement specifically trains to catch. The arrest happened because of coordination between Homeland Security Investigations special agents, victim assistance specialists, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office’s Violent Internet Predator Exploitation Response Team—VIPER.
VIPER exists specifically to find people like Berge. They run undercover operations posing as minors online. When predators take the bait and try to solicit sex from someone they think is a child, agents move in and make the arrest.
Berge fell for it. He committed the crime. He went to prison. And when he got out, Border Patrol made sure he didn’t stay in America.
Why This Matters
Child predators sometimes think they can hide in America using fake identities or by staying under the radar. This case proves they can’t.
The system caught Berge. He was convicted. His visa was revoked. And when he walked out of jail, federal agents were there to deport him.
That’s how it’s supposed to work. That’s what border security actually means—protecting American children from predators who’ve already proven they’re dangerous.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t an isolated case. Border Patrol regularly arrests convicted sex offenders attempting to re-enter the United States illegally. In 2025 alone, agents have caught multiple previously deported sex offenders trying to sneak back across borders in Texas, Arizona, and California.
Some of these people have been deported multiple times and keep coming back. Some are trying to avoid detection. Some think they can hide in remote areas.
Border Patrol catches them because every person who gets arrested goes through a background check using biometric records. The system works.
What Happens Next
Berge is in federal custody. He will be deported. He will not return to the United States. His case is closed.
The message is clear: if you commit crimes against children in America, you will be prosecuted. If your conviction revokes your visa, you will be deported. You will not get a second chance to victimize American children.
That’s border security at work—not just stopping people from entering the country illegally, but making sure dangerous criminals who’ve already been removed stay removed.
Key Details:
- Silvio Berge, 60, arrested December 5, 2025
- German national on valid U.S. visa
- Charged with soliciting a minor for sex in March 2025
- Convicted of criminal sexual conduct with a child
- Served 9 months in Monroe County Jail
- Visa revoked upon conviction
- Now facing deportation from the U.S.
The System Works:
- VIPER team (Violent Internet Predator Exploitation Response Team) conducted undercover operation
- Homeland Security Investigations and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office coordinated arrest
- Border Patrol took custody upon release from jail
- Biometric records ensure predators don’t slip through
