The Boston Green Line Groper!

Green Line groper suspect arrested
By O'Ryan Johnson | Saturday, December 8, 2007 | http://www.bostonherald.com

An outpouring of tips helped, but in the end it was the alleged Green Line molester's own phone call that led to his arrest, police said.

Less than 24 hours after his picture was shown in local media, MBTA cops arrested Jeffrey N. Berman, 60, of Newton yesterday after he called and admitted to police that he was the man caught on camera by a fed-up teen he allegedly groped more than once at a T stop near the girl's school, police said.

"He called us today and agreed to meet with us," said Transit police Chief Paul MacMillan. "He said that he was the person in the paper and he wanted to talk to us."

MacMillan said that after a conversation with MBTA detectives Berman was handcuffed. He is being held on 25,000 cash bail and faces a charge of indecent assault and battery and open and gross lewdness.

MacMillan said that even if Berman had not called, the public had given police plenty of leads, with tips pouring into dispatchers. "We couldn't have done this without the public's help," MacMillan said. "The phone calls started coming in yesterday morning."

Berman is alleged to have groped multiple victims and on at least one occasion exposed himself and masturbated in front of sickened teen girls. MacMillan praised the brave camera work of the plucky teen whose snapshot led to Berman's arrest. Without it, the chief said, the job would have been much more difficult for detectives.

"Obviously we, from time to time, have plainclothes officers on the trolley, but that's a very difficult job to do," MacMillan said.

"The fact that this girl had the wherewithal to snap a picture to identify him was invaluable."

Police are asking any other women who may have been victimized by Berman to contact them at 617-212-1212.