CANON CITY, Colo.-
A man who pleaded guilty to child abuse after the near-drowning of three children in his pool has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for violating terms of his probation.
Richard Steven Valdez, of Canon City, pleaded guilty Aug. 30 to child abuse, distribution of a controlled substance, third-degree assault and domestic violence as part of a plea agreement in which he received two years of probation in lieu of a 16-year prison sentence.
He was charged with child abuse after three children, one of whom was his, fell into his swimming pool while Valdez was inside the home with co-defendant Nina Davis, the mother of the other children. The children, all under the age of 5 at the time, survived.
In January, a judge found Valdez violated terms of his probation by visiting a counseling center outside his scheduled times for counseling and for giving urine samples.
The limitations were meant to keep him separated from Davis and her family.
He was sentenced Friday.
