Restaurant manager accused of sexually assaulting coworkers told investigators that's "how he was brought up"

WAUKESHA COUNTY -- A 61-year-old New Berlin restaurant manager is accused of sexually assaulting female coworkers.

Michael Bernicky of Waukesha is facing two counts of fourth degree sexual assault.

According to a criminal complaint, in June, New Berlin police were contacted by the mother of a now 18-year-old girl who was 17 at the time. The mother said her daughter returned home from work with alcohol on her breath. The mother said her daughter informed her that Michael Bernicky, her manager, had provided her alcohol.

The then 17-year-old girl was interviewed by police in late June. She said she worked at Great Wraps on W. National Avenue near W. Coffee Road from November 2014 through June 2016. She said Bernicky consumed alcohol at work and offered her alcohol on "numerous occasions" during work hours. She told investigators Bernicky "made sexual jokes and comments constantly." She said Bernicky had made inappropriate comments about her body, and the bodies of her co-workers in the past. She said Bernicky would joke about cheating in relationships -- saying "the other person is probably doing it too." The girl said about two months after she started working at the restaurant, Bernicky said he would have sex with her at work. She told investigators "she always said no."

The complaint says the girl told investigators Bernicky made comments "several times" about how they should go to the back of the store to "fool around," and that he would "teach her more than her boyfriend could." She said Bernicky would hug her and a few other employees that he "trusted," and at times during these hugs, he would touch her inappropriately. She said she told Bernicky more than once that she didn't want him doing that. She said Bernicky "shrugged it off." The girl told investigators she'd heard another girl quit her job after Bernicky tried to force himself on her.

Investigators spoke with that girl, who is now 18, in August. The complaint says she told investigators she worked at Great Wraps for about nine months, and left because "she felt uncomfortable there." She described Bernicky as "super inappropriate," and would make comments like "wait until you turn 18." The girl described an instance when she was having trouble changing out the toilet paper roll in the bathroom, and asked another female employee for help. She said Bernicky came into the bathroom as well, and said "we should have a threesome in here." She said Bernicky would offer underage girls alcohol during and after their shifts, and she observed him get drunk at work. She said Bernicky touched her inappropriately when he hugged her, and when she confronted him, he said he was "just kidding." The girl said she was "terrified" to work with Bernicky alone.

Bernicky was interviewed in September.

According to the complaint, he told investigators "it's my fault about the alcohol," and said police warned him "years ago" about not providing alcohol to minors.

The complaint says he admitted to keeping a sleeping bag at the restaurant in case he was too drunk to drive home from work, and admitted to making inappropriate comments to female coworkers, and hugging them. He told investigators "that was the way he was brought up," according to the complaint. He said he likes to joke around with his coworkers, and said he was "shocked" that people were offended.

Bernicky is set to make his initial appearance in court in this case on March 27th.