High court rejects appeal of Tucson man in child abuse case

High court rejects appeal of Tucson man in child abuse case

Fernando Richter asked the state's high court to overturn his 2016 convictions on child abuse, kidnapping and aggravated assault charges. Tucson TV station KOLD reports Richter's request was denied a second time.

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - The Arizona Supreme Court has rejected another appeal from a Tucson man serving a 58-year-old prison sentence in an abuse case involving his three stepchildren.

Fernando Richter asked the state's high court to overturn his 2016 convictions on child abuse, kidnapping and aggravated assault charges.

Tucson TV station KOLD reports Richter's request was denied a second time.

Richter and his wife, Sophia, were accused of keeping her three daughters imprisoned in their Tucson home for several months in 2013 and denying them bathroom access.

Fernando and Sophia Richter (file)

Sophia Richter originally was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but her conviction was reversed by the Arizona Supreme Court in 2018 and a new trial was ordered.

She pleaded guilty to child abuse and kidnapping in June and was sentenced to a decade of probation.

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Information from: KOLD-TV, http://www.kold.com/