A former Ridgway man who stole more than $300,000 from clients who believed he was investing their money has been sentenced to 15 years probation and ordered to pay restitution.

Shawn King, 46, avoided jail time in the plea agreement with the Colorado Attorney General’s Office by agreeing to a conviction for securities fraud, a class 3 felony, and tax fraud, a class 5 felony. The agreement also called for him to start paying back his victims, and he brought a $40,000 check to court to begin...