A 20-year-old Ruhenstroth man, accused of coercing a 13-year-old girl into having sex, was sentenced Tuesday to three years in Nevada State Prison.
Matthew Lebo, who has been in Douglas County Jail since his arrest in April, must serve 12 months before he is eligible for parole.
"I am very, very, very sorry for what I did," he said in a letter read by his lawyer, Tod Young.
According to a sheriff's office report, Lebo allegedly admitted that he knew the girl was 13, and that he forced her to have sex.
The girl had been reported as a runaway, but she returned home about 1:30 a.m. April 28. While a deputy was counseling her about the dangers of being away from home at that hour, she reportedly broke down in tears and told the officer she had been assaulted, according to reports.
Lebo was picked up after a deputy saw him walking behind the Ironwood Cinema carrying a skateboard, according to reports.
Young said his client was very immature and was considered a third-year 12th-grade student at Douglas High School.
"He really does function at a very low level," Young said. "His level of dealing with things is really immature. People his own age made fun of him and don't relate to him. That's the reason he could relate to a girl this age better than any girl his own age.
"This case is one where it appears two people were at the time consenting to what they were doing. She told a different story."
Young said he did not blame the victim for what happened.
Lebo must register as a sex offender, but he does not require lifetime supervision.
District Judge Dave Gamble said Lebo's letter was the first indication that the suspect was not blaming the victim.
"It may well be that you have some kind of learning disability. As long as you use that as an excuse to attack young females is how long it will be before some judge sends you to prison for a long, long time. No mercy will be shown to you by me or any other judge if this happens again," Gamble said.
He gave Lebo credit for 114 days in custody.
