Gilroy
– Police arrested a 45-year-old Rosamond man who they say
planned to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex at a Gilroy park.
Following an Internet sting, detectives and members of the gang
specialist Anti-Crime Team arrested Bruce Randal Tebo at Christmas
Hill Park Friday evening.
By Lori Stuenkel
Gilroy – Police arrested a 45-year-old Rosamond man who they say planned to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex at a Gilroy park.
Following an Internet sting, detectives and members of the gang specialist Anti-Crime Team arrested Bruce Randal Tebo at Christmas Hill Park Friday evening. Tebo was booked into the Main Jail in San Jose on suspicion of two felonies, attempted lewd acts with a child and attempting to send lewd images to a child; and a misdemeanor, possession of marijuana.
Tebo had contacted Detective Mitch Madruga, who was posing at a 13-year-old Gilroy girl, at the e-mail address Madruga provided for the “girl.” His first contact was last September, and Madruga said he conducted a few chats with Tebo.
“He said he was from the Bakersfield area, so I wasn’t too interested in him, and I called down to Bakersfield (police),” Madruga said. “He continued to send off-line messages, asking how my weekend was, how I was doing in school.”
On Monday, Tebo, who told police he works for an engineering firm in Gardena, saw that the “girl” was online, and he and Madruga chatted again. Tebo first mentioned driving to Gilroy that night, then decided to come on the weekend, Madruga said.
Tebo contacted the “girl” numerous times last week, during which he made it clear he wanted to meet her to have sex, Madruga said.
“There was probably three separate chats, and he would also send me text messages from his cell phone,” he said.
During one of those chats, Tebo used a Web cam to send a “live show” of himself nude to Madruga, posing as the 13-year-old.
On Thursday, Tebo called and reserved a room at the Hilton Garden Inn, 6070 Monterey Road. He came under police surveillance after he arrived there Friday, Madruga said.
“He left the hotel, went out to the park, hung out at the park, looked around and then about 7:50(pm) he was actually stopped and taken into custody,” Madruga said.
Police executed search warrants on Tebo’s car, hotel room, and home on Rosamond, near Edward Air Force Base. In the hotel room, they found a duffle bag containing several sexual aids and devices, while in Tebo’s home they found two computers that were seized and will be analyzed at the county crime lab. The marijuana Tebo was charged with possessing was found in his car, Madruga said.
Tebo’s arrest comes four months after police arrested Jason Robert Bell of Gilroy following their first-ever sting using an on-line alias.
“They all sound similar,” Madruga said. “They’re all on the same wavelength.”
