NEW ULM – An 18-year-old Sleepy Eye man was charged with three felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct charges involving a victim more than two years younger than himself, Tuesday in Brown County District Court.

Paul A. Surprenant, 611 2nd Ave. N.W., Sleepy Eye, came to the Brown County Law Enforcement Center (LEC) on July 4, to give a statement regarding his criminal sexual conduct with a person between the ages of 13 and 15, according to court documents.

Police said they received a call from a probation agent who learned of the criminal sexual conduct through another person before Surprenant came to the LEC.

Surprenant told police he was turning himself in for sexual misconduct.

Surprenant said he met the juvenile this spring in German Park while sitting around listening to music. He said the juvenile later got his Snapchat contact, possibly from a friend, they began to communicate, and he learned the juvenile’s age.

Surprenant said the juvenile asked him to visit at their residence, and he did so at about 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 16, a day after his 18th birthday. He said they had sex in a garage.

Although he knew it was “not OK,” because his probation conditions included not being around anyone two years younger than he was, Surprenant said the sex was consensual all three times. He said he felt turning himself in was the best route, the best choice and that he was “really sorry” about it.

On July 5 police talked to the juvenile who said they had sex with Surprenant on June 15, June 21 and July 2, in the garage of the juvenile’s residence, and that they were friends who had sex.

Surprenant’s bail was set at $50,000. He was listed on the Brown County Jail roster on Wednesday, July 6.

Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.