Man drove 300 miles to have sex with ’13-year-old girl’ who was
actually a police detective
San Martin – Bruce Randal Tebo, 45, traveled about 290 miles to have sex with what he thought was a 13-year-old Gilroy girl who turned out to be Gilroy Police Detective Mitch Madruga’s Internet alias.
He appeared in Santa Clara County Superior Courthouse Monday morning on charges of attempting to commit lewd acts with a child younger than 14, as the prosecution and Tebo’s defense attorney came to terms with a plea agreement.
He will appear March 27 for formal sentencing.
The final plea agreement was not available as of press time.
Typically, for crimes of this nature that were intended to be committed, an individual may get three years in prison, Madruga said. However, time periods range depending on the suspect’s history.
Tebo was arrested by Gilroy police at Christmas Hill Park June 3, 2005 after Madruga organized a sting operation, bringing him nearly 300 miles from his home in Rosamond to a hotel room at the Hilton Garden Inn.
“There was no doubt (that he was coming up to have sex,)” Madruga said.
Police discovered a duffle bag containing condoms, lubricants, and vibrators in his hotel room.
Madruga spent 34 hours straight organizing the sting and procuring search warrants while talking to Tebo over the Internet and through text messages.
“Once I started talking with him things went pretty fast,” Madruga said. “I kind of blew him off at first and sent Bakersfield the information. But every once in awhile he’d send me a message to check up. He did film a completely nude masturbation show all the way to completion.”
Madruga and Anti-Crime Team investigators drove down to his home in Rosamond to confiscate his computer as evidence. Police found post-it notes all over Tebo’s house containing e-mail addresses and names.
For the past 18 months, Madruga has patrolled the Internet searching for predators when he has time. He is the only officer in the department with the equipment and experience to talk to predators online, and has busted two other men for soliciting sex from his Internet aliases.
Jason Bell was sentenced to three years in prison in August last year after pleading no contest to charges of attempting lewd acts with a child under 14. Bell, who was 34 at the time, was the first Madruga arrested and will be required to register as a sex offender after his release.
When Tebo arrived at Christmas Hill Park the night of June 3, officers were waiting for him as he slowly cruised the parking lot.
Madruga then received a text message from Tebo questioning whether he was involved with law enforcement.
“He ended up writing an apology letter to the (fictional) mother, apologizing for talking with her daughter,” when he spoke with police, Madruga said. “I just hope he gets something out of it, not just probation.”
