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A Denver man who originally claimed he slashed his puppy's face with a knife in self defense was sentenced to 30 months of supervised mental health probation and 100 hours of community service on Wednesday.

Matthew Weatherspoon, 19, pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of aggravated cruelty to animals, a class 6 felony.

“He could have faced prison, but prosecutors with access to a large amount of confidential information about the young man’s childhood determined that a lengthy sentence of supervised probation with mental health treatment was more appropriate than prison and would help ensure the safety of the community,” said DA spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough.