A Fort Dodge man pleaded guilty and was sentenced Monday to 110 years in prison for sexually abusing three children over the past 15 years.

Christopher J. Novencido, 44, pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree sexual abuse.

In his plea, he admitted to assaulting three children in 2010, 2011, and in 2017. Each of the counts has a 25-year minimum sentence and he must serve 70 percent of that time before being eligible for parole.

He also pleaded guilty to tampering with a witness, a class C felony with a 10-year prison sentence.

Of the 110 years, he is required by law to serve at least 70 years.

District Court Judge Derek Johnson issued the sentence Monday.

“This is a satisfactory punishment in lieu of the victims having to endure a trial,” said Webster County Assistant County Attorney Bailey Cavanaugh.

Novencido will be transferred to the Iowa Department of Corrections this week to begin serving his 110-year sentence.

“Thank you to law enforcement for diligently investigating this case and for Investigator (Larry) Hedlund’s work,” said Cavanaugh.

The Fort Dodge Police Department and Hedlund, an investigator for the Webster County Attorney’s Office, led the investigation into the case.

During Monday’s plea hearing and sentencing, Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) were also in the courtroom to support the victims.

“Thank you also to BACA for always supporting victims,” said Cavanaugh. “They support and protect victims, and for that we are very appreciative.”

Novencido was arrested in April. He was initially charged with nine counts of second-degree sexual abuse, nine counts of incest and two counts of invasion of privacy. In May, he was charged with another count of second-degree sexual abuse and another count of incest. He was then charged with two counts of tampering with a witness.