Hollister
– A Hollister man was sentenced Wednesday to five years in state
prison for carrying on a yearlong sexual relationship with a
15-year-old girl.
Hollister – A Hollister man was sentenced Wednesday to five years in state prison for carrying on a yearlong sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl.
Bernardo De La Cruz, 39, looked down as San Benito County Superior Court Judge Steven Sanders sentenced him Wednesday morning.
De La Cruz pleaded no contest in March to four felony counts of sexual acts with a minor.
After the sentencing, the victim’s mother told the Free Lance that De La Cruz was a friend of the family.
“He abused a position of trust in our family,” the mother said.
She said she hoped other families might learn from what happened to her daughter.
“Ask the questions,” she said. “If they get defensive, ask even more.”
Sanders cited the vulnerability of the victim and De La Cruz’s abuse of trust as reasons for the prison sentence.
De La Cruz’s attorney, Harry Damkar, asked the judge to consider felony probation, saying his client’s substance abuse triggered the incident.
Damkar said his client has cooperated at every stage of the legal process.
“He is sincerely remorseful for what happened and wants to move on with his life,” Damkar said.
According to a Probation Department report, De La Cruz began using methamphetamine in 1997. Leading up to and during the time the crimes took place, from approximately from July 2005 to August 2006, De La Cruz was using the drug every day, the report stated.
The girl’s mother believes the methamphetamine use contributed to the crime.
“It just takes the humanity out of humans,” she said.
On Oct. 11, 2006, San Benito County Sheriff’s deputies were approached by the victim and her mother about De La Cruz.
During an interview at the San Benito County Jail, De La Cruz admitted to Det. Bryan Penney that he’d had sex with the 15-year-old.
De La Cruz was arrested on Oct. 12, 2006, for 200 counts of felony unlawful sex with a minor.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or [email protected].
