PARIS — An Industry man pleaded guilty Friday in Oxford County Superior Court to gross sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl in Mexico earlier this year.

Christian Richards, 19, will serve one year of a five-year sentence; the remaining four were suspended. He will be required to register as a sex offender the rest of his life.

Richards also pleaded guilty to an assault charge brought when he was a juvenile, and was sentenced to 30 days, to be served concurrently with the one-year sentence.

According to Assistant District Attorney Joseph M. O’Connor, Richards assaulted the 13-year-old girl Feb. 20 in Mexico. The girl reported it the next day.

O’Connor said Richards admitted to meeting the girl on Facebook, but initially denied assaulting her. He was charged in March.

He was sentenced to four years probation and ordered not to contact the girl or anyone under the age of 16.

treaves@sunjournal.com