South County

Man sentenced for having sex with minor he met on MySpace

Michael David Gray pleaded no contest to giving marijuana to and having sex with a 15-year-old girl; he will get 60 days in jail, three years’ probation and 20 hours’ work service

By Nick Wilson

A Grover Beach man was sentenced Monday to 60 days in jail after pleading no contest to furnishing marijuana to and engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl.

Michael David Gray, 30, was arrested at his home for allegedly having sex with the girl and giving her drugs after meeting her through the social networking site MySpace.

Gray’s sentence, handed down by Judge Jac Crawford, also includes three years of formal probation and 20 hours of work service.

His no-contest plea results in a conviction without admission of guilt.

The Tribune is not identifying the girl because she is the victim of a sex crime.

The girl told police she met Gray on MySpace in 2006 when she was 15, police said. A relationship developed between the two after they started corresponding by e-mail, then by phone, before eventually meeting in person.

The girl is from the Central Valley, according to Grover Beach police Chief Jim Copsey, who declined to be more specific about her city of residence because she is a minor and sex-crime victim.

Arroyo Grande’s police department also worked on the case, Copsey said.

According to police, the girl said she and Gray had a sexual relationship for about six months, meeting in Grover Beach and locations outside San Luis Obispo County.

The crime of unlawful sexual intercourse used to be referred to as statutory rape, said prosecutor Fabiana Fede.

Gray accepted the sentence in the courtroom without comment. He was free on bail during his appearance.

He’ll begin serving his jail sentence in May, according to his lawyer, Michael Cummins.

Other conditions of Gray’s probation include not possessing any alcohol, weapons or drugs and not having any contact with the victim.