COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — A Columbus man accused of hitting his girlfriend’s 1-year-old son has been sentenced to prison.

Ryan Roberts was given five years. He was sentenced Friday.

Court records say the 24-year-old pleaded no contest and was convicted of negligent child abuse resulting in injury. Prosecutors dropped a second count in exchange for Roberts’ plea. Roberts acknowledged backhanding the little boy after the boy bit him in January.

The boy’s mother, 20-year-old Jodie Shelly, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of felony child abuse involving her 3-year-old daughter. Shelly’s trial is scheduled to begin on June 15.

A court document says Shelly acknowledged having an anger problem and that “she grabs her daughter too firmly when she is whining or arguing with her brother.”