A Clearfield County man was sentenced to serve two to five years in prison and found to be a sexually violent predator under Megan’s Law after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 2016 in Butler Township.

Michael Dillon Cruz, 29, of Houtzdale, was sentenced Thursday to serve 24 to 60 months in state prison and was ordered to register with state police for the rest of his life after he was found to be a sexually violent predator, and pleaded guilty to a felony charge of statutory sexual assault.

Common Pleas Court Judge Kelley Streib sentenced Cruz, issued the order and found him to be a sexually violent predator after the victim told the court that the assault had a negative impact on her and the rest of her family during Cruz’s sentencing hearing.

The now 19-year-old girl said she forgives, but still despises Cruz.

She said Cruz was a babysitter for her and her younger siblings while her parents were working. He would take them to parks and stores for fun, but she said she never trusted him because he assaulted her when she was younger.

Recounting the Dec. 14, 2016, incident, she said Cruz entered her bedroom, undressed her and sexually assaulted her.

“You have caused a lot of mental and emotional problems for me,” she said.

The incident resulted in her acting out, and strained the relationship between her and her siblings and parents, she said.

“You have broken me in ways I don’t even understand,” she said.

Streib commended the girl for speaking about the incident.

“You are strong. You have value, and now you have a voice,” Streib said.

The sentence was imposed after Julia Lindemuth, a member of the Pennsylvania Sexual Offender Assessment Board, testified that her review of court documents detailing Cruz’s criminal history led to determine that he has antisocial personality disorder. She said Cruz declined to be interviewed as part of the review.

She said Cruz lacks the ability to control his behavior, disregards the rights of others and has repeatedly run afoul of the law as a juvenile and adult.

“These are all indications of antisocial personality disorder,” Lindemuth said.

She said he experienced some difficulties early in life, but his mother and stepfather had a protection from abuse order against him and he began using drugs at an early age.

He earned a general education development diploma while in juvenile placement, but, she said, he was found to have mental health issues while serving time in a state prison.

Cruz served a state prison sentence after pleading guilty to aggravated assault after he stabbed his father in 2011, she said. He also was charged with aggravated assault for assaulting a corrections officer, she said.

He displayed predatory and manipulative behavior when he assaulted the victim, she said.

“He was certainly aware of the consequences of his behavior, but he did it anyway,” Lindemuth said.