INDEPENDENCE — The Buchanan County Attorney’s Office has reached a plea agreement with Tyler Alan Welter, 27, of Fairbank, that will mark him as a sexual predator of children and send him to prison.

Welter agreed today to plead guilty to two Class C felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, two Class C felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, and three Class D felony counts of enticing a minor.

Six additional counts will be dismissed.

According to the criminal complaints, Welter exchanged nude photos and attempted to engage in sexual acts with children under the age of 16. He was arrested by Fairbank Police in 2018.

Welter will be sentenced to multiple five and 10-year prison terms, the agreement says. Whether he serves those consecutively or concurrently will be argued at his sentencing hearing. If consecutive, he could receive a sentence of up to 55 years.

A sentencing hearing had previously been scheduled on July 26 at the Buchanan County Courthouse in Independence.

More than $7,000 in accompanying fines and surcharges are suspended in the plea agreement.

Welter must register on the Iowa Sex Offender Registry and he is also ordered to have no contact with three listed victims.

The guilty plea also opens the possibility of Welter being civilly committed as as a sexual predator.

After prison, Welter will be under state supervision as if on parole for the rest of his life.

Welter is being represented by Public Defender Adam R. Junaid, who along with Welter, signed the agreement on Tuesday, Oct. 18. County Attorney Shawn Harden signed the agreement on Oct. 12.