A Hungry Horse man who has spent more than a year in the county jail after allegedly beating his children received a suspended five-year sentence on Thursday.

Nicholas James Moskaloff, 43, pleaded guilty to a single count of assault on a minor in Flathead County District Court in September. He initially faced two counts of the felony charge, but reached a plea agreement on the eve of his jury trial.

Judge Robert Allison alluded to “pragmatic” reasons for the deal struck by prosecutors during the Nov. 3 sentencing and went along with the joint recommendations despite expressing misgivings about Moskaloff’s criminal history. That past includes a stint in federal prison for selling methamphetamine to an informant.

“In looking at your prior record, it’s kinda not real pretty,” Allison told Moskaloff before noting the length of time the 43-year-old had spent behind bars before reaching a plea agreement.

“Perhaps that’s sufficient punishment,” he said.

Along with the suspended sentence to Montana State Prison, Moskaloff received credit for 378 days of time served.

For his part, Moskaloff said he had tried to do right by his children and, at one point, cast blame elsewhere, saying that he asked for help and received little in return.

“I did everything I could to help my kids. … They kept continuing to skip school and break into houses,” he said. “I lost it all.”

Authorities began looking into Moskaloff after the two children turned up at school in May 2021 sporting “visible injuries,” court documents said. An investigation determined that Moskaloff beat the pair, leaving them with eye and rib contusions, after a family friend caught them skipping, according to court documents.

“I spanked my kids and here I am,” Moskaloff told Allison.

Following the sentencing, Moskaloff was to be handed over to federal authorities, said Deputy County Attorney Alison Howard. He faces a probation violation in federal court for the assault on a minor case, she said.

Amanda Gordon, Moskaloff’s defense attorney, said he faced 18 to 24 months or more depending on the outcome. But Howard said that Moskaloff could be out as soon as December.

“As the defendant is well aware, if he is given credit for time served from this … he could be released very shortly,” she said.

Allison, who opted against having his sentence run consecutive or concurrent to the forthcoming federal penalty, warned Moskaloff that regardless of what happened, he would be on a suspended sentence after leaving their custody.

“So don’t blow these people off,” Allison said of probation and parole officials in Montana.