Man pleads not guilty to kidnapping, taking bartender hostage in southeastern North Dakota

FORMAN, N.D. — In a bit of a surprise move, 47-year-old Ryan Bergh told a Sargent County judge he wanted to represent himself at Tuesday’s hearing despite the seriousness of the charges.

The man from Havana, North Dakota, is accused of kidnapping Melissa Wolter from Deuces Bar on Main Street in Forman at gunpoint as she tried to close up on a night back in October.

Surveillance video captured her being dragged out of the bar and forced into Bergh’s car.

Wolter said during an interview with WDAY News the next day that Bergh then took her to a remote field for several hours.

During that time she said Bergh drank alcohol, smoked marijuana, and threatened to rape her.

Shortly after sunrise, Wolter said Bergh decided he was going to bring her back into town, and would drop her off at the home of the Sargent County sheriff.

Wolter went inside and Bergh waited for police to come and arrest him.

Bergh, a semi driver, is charged with kidnapping, reckless endangerment, and assault.

He pleaded not guilty to all three charges. If convicted, Bergh faces between 4 and 10 years in prison.

Bergh’s trial is scheduled for March.

He remains in jail on $100,000 bail.

Forman is roughly 100 miles southwest of Fargo.

Matt Henson is an Emmy award-winning reporter/photographer/editor for WDAY. Prior to joining WDAY in 2019, Matt was the main anchor at WDAZ in Grand Forks for four years.