By Khalida Sarwari
A Santa Clara County Superior Court judge today sentenced a Canadian man accused of going to Gilroy in April to have sex with an underage girl to a year in county jail.
Michael DeBruyn, 25, pleaded no contest in August to charges of contacting a minor with intent to commit a specified crime and distributing harmful matter to a minor. Both charges were reduced from felonies to misdemeanors, Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Amy Cornell said.
DeBruyn also pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of possession of child pornography.
He was arrested April 11 after the parents of a 17-year-old girl called police to report a suspicious man near their home.
Gilroy police believe DeBruyn had allegedly exchanged sexually graphic text messages and photos with the girl for two months prior to his visit and had online contact with her for the past four years.
DeBruyn is a resident of Wallaceburg, Ontario, and is a member of the Canadian Armed Forces. He rode his motorcycle to California to have sex with the girl while on military leave, according to police.
In addition to serving a year in county jail, DeBruyn is required to register as a sex offender.