Blair Joseph Belding

Charges against a Deschutes County corrections deputy arrested last year for allegedly abusing his teenage son have been dismissed in exchange for attending a parenting class.

Blair Joseph Belding was still fired by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.

Belding, 43, was arrested May 31, 2020, at his home in Bend. Sheriff’s deputies initially responded to the call, but Bend Police soon took over the investigation due to conflict of interest.

He was held at Jefferson County jail and placed on paid administrative leave by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office in accordance with state law. He was charged in Deschutes County Circuit Court with fourth-degree assault and strangulation. A third charge of harassment was added to his indictment in March.

The case was delayed when the prosecutor handling the case left the office. In June, a new prosecutor filed a motion to dismiss the case “in the interest of justice.” The motion was approved.

Belding’s attorney, TJ Spear, said his client agreed to take a parenting course if the state dropped the charges against him.

Spear has asked the court to seal Belding’s arrest report and other records in the case.

“Mr. Belding was prepared to go to trial on this matter,” Spear said. “We were confident we had a very strong case defending him.”

The sheriff’s office had intended to wait for Belding’s case to conclude prior to making a decision regarding his employment. State police records show Belding was terminated in August.

Belding, who grew up in the Bend area, declined to comment.

“Not at this time, thank you,” he said.