A former Denton County constable who had tried to delay court proceedings in his child sex trial in Colorado changed course on Thursday, pleading guilty to three charges of enticement of a child just days before he was to face a jury.

The plea surprised those who knew Larry Dale Floyd. But, they said, it also brought relief.

Larry Dale Floyd

"Oh, thank God," said Patricia Floyd, who divorced the 62-year-old man from The Colony after he was arrested in July 2005.

He was accused of trying to arrange sex with an 8-year-old girl by soliciting her mother via Internet and phone conversations. The woman turned out to be an undercover police officer.

"He said he had no limits, the nastier the better, and that she needs to learn all," an affidavit from the officer said.

Mr. Floyd faces up to life in prison. As part of the plea agreement, six other charges were dropped. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 23 in Cañon City, Colo.

"Mr. Floyd is truly a man who deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison," Assistant District Attorney Kathy Eberling said Thursday.

Defense attorney Philip DuBois of Colorado Springs declined to comment after the hearing.

"They must really have had some stuff on him, or he would not have pleaded guilty," said Ms. Floyd, who hasn't spoken with her ex-husband in more than a year. "I'm totally relieved."

The news also pleased Michael Truitt, who replaced Mr. Floyd as constable after he was removed from office.

"I think that's the best thing he could have done," Constable Truitt said. "I'm very happy to hear he pled guilty and saved everybody a lot of time and effort, especially with as much evidence as there was against him."

Molly Chilson, district attorney for the 11th Judicial District, which includes Cañon City, said Mr. Floyd would be eligible for parole after six years, but parole at that point appears unlikely.

"Since 1998, only two sex offenders have achieved parole in the state. The sex offender treatment is a long road," she said.

A second parole hearing would come three years later.

Mr. Floyd's guilty plea came a day after Mr. DuBois attempted to stall court proceedings because his client said he was in considerable pain after falling in the jail Nov. 19.

"You appear much better today," District Judge Julie Marshall told Mr. Floyd on Thursday. "Your face does not bear the signs of being in pain, and your color is good."

Judge Marshall said she could not accept a guilty plea if Mr. Floyd was on medication that would cloud his judgment or if he was suffering from his injury.

"I am better, your honor," Mr. Floyd said. "I have no meds that would disrupt me mentally."

Ms. Eberling was preparing Thursday to ask the judge to allow some of the child pornography images confiscated from Mr. Floyd's Texas computer into evidence at his trial next week.

Tracy Harmon is a freelance writer based in Cañon City, Colo.

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