A man who groped two children and attempted to touch a third at a Boulder recreation center was sentenced to 18 years in prison last week, the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office said.

Brandt Deboard, 42, was convicted in June of two counts of sexual assault on a child and one count of attempted sexual assault on a child. Deboard also received a sentence enhancer after being designated as a habitual sex offender.

“We want to express a heartfelt thank you to the three brave children and their families who came forward and participated in this long and difficult process,” said District Attorney Michael Dougherty.

The initial incident happened on Jan. 3, 2020, at the North Boulder Recreation Center located at 3170 Broadway. The mother of a 7-year-old girl told police a man had inappropriately touched her daughter in the hot tub, an arrest affidavit said.

Deboard was in the hot tub with the girl while she was playing with a toy. Witnesses said Deboard moved the toy away from the girl and then pinched her rear twice when she swam to retrieve it, causing her pain, the affidavit said.

Deboard was arrested while trying to leave the recreation center, at which point he denied the groping and told officers he was a sovereign citizen, meaning he believes he is not subject to the law.

After police announced this incident, two other children came forward to say Deboard had also inappropriately touched them in the hot tub at the recreation center, the district attorney’s office said.

Deboard previously pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault on a child in 2010, for which he was sentenced to three years in prison. He has also been arrested for failing to register as a sex offender and failing to appear in court.

In addition to his 18-year sentence, Deboard received 10 years of mandatory probation and was designated as a sexually violent predator. He will not be eligible for parole because of the habitual sex offender sentence enhancer.