Joel Valadez

A Minot man facing a variety of charges in three separate cases, including corruption of a minor, domestic violence, aggravated assault and commission for crashing into an unattended vehicle, has been sentenced to three years in prison.

Joel Alejandro Valadez, 25, Minot, appeared in North Central District Court for sentencing Tuesday and entered plea changes in all three counts.

In the first case, charged in July 2022, Valadez pleaded guilty to a Class A misdemeanor for striking an unattended vehicle, while another count, a Class A misdemeanor, was also dismissed.

Judge Douglas Mattson sentenced Valadez to 9 months in the Ward County Jail on the first count, with credit for 9 months already served. Valadez was ordered to pay $8,876.50 in restitution to the victim, along with $125 in court fines and fees.

Valadez pleaded guilty to aggravated assault-adult victim, a Class C felony, in the second case, which stemmed from an incident that occurred in October 2023 at the Ward County Detention Center. According to the affidavit of probable cause, Valadez attacked another inmate in his cell. to walk in the background during a video call. The victim suffered a cut on his forehead and possibly fractured his hip, requiring further surgery and x-rays to assess the extent of the injury.

Judge Todd Cresap sentenced Valadez to five years in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; He was initially sentenced to three years in prison with credit for 380 days already served. Valadez was assessed $525 in court fines and fees and was ordered to complete three years of probation upon release.

In the third case, Valadez pleaded guilty to two counts of corruption and a count of domestic violence (serious bodily injury) against a minor victim over 15 years of age, 22 years of age or older; both were Class C felonies. Eleven additional charges, ranging from aggravated sexual imposition-sexual act, a Class AA felony, aggravated restraint-child victimization, a Class C felony, and multiple counts of domestic violence, were all dismissed in April.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Valadez was arrested in March 2023 following a report of domestic violence by a young female victim. Follow-up statements in which the victim reported further sexual and physical assaults led to additional charges being filed.

The teenager said that in January 2023, Valadez kept her at home against her will for three days and assaulted her during that time, and also locked her phone in a safe to prevent her from contacting her mother.

A jury trial was scheduled for Dec. 16 in the case before Valadez changed his plea. Mattson sentenced Valadez to five years in the Department of Corrections on both charges; He was initially sentenced to three years in prison with credit for 608 days already served. The sentence will be served concurrently with the sentence for aggravated assault.

Valadez was ordered to complete five years of supervised probation upon his release and to have no contact with the victim or come within 200 feet of her residence or place of business. Valadez will be required to register as a sex offender.

Valadez was also awarded $1,100 in court fines and fees.