A Pasco man faces almost three years in prison after his guilty plea Tuesday to beating his girlfriend and holding her against her will.

Larry Dean Buck, 40, entered an Alford plea in Franklin County Superior Court to second-degree assault and unlawful imprisonment, both felonies.

The Alford plea means he denied committing the crime but believed prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him.

"While I personally believe I am innocent of the charges, I have reviewed the police reports and defense investigation reports with my attorney, and I also believe that sufficient evidence exists to convict me if I went to trial," Buck wrote in his plea statement. "I want to take advantage of the prosecution's plea offer."

Buck repeatedly has said in previous court appearances that he was innocent.

Pasco officers got a call about a hysterical woman asking for help and arrived at the Shopping Spot Mini Mart on South 28th Avenue to find the 45-year-old woman shaking and crying and trying to catch her breath.

Buck's girlfriend had bruising on her face and chest, a cut on the bridge of her nose, cuts on her left ankle and "a fractured body part," court documents said. Officers said she had "head-to-toe" bruising.

She said she was held against her will by Buck at the Sage N Sun Motel and inside a motor home on West Hopkins Street.

The victim also told police that Buck beat her and tried to drown her. She ran to the store for help after she was able to escape.

Last month, Deputy Prosecutor Frank Jenny added a charge of second-degree attempted murder, saying it had been expected since Buck had not accepted a plea offer by the deadline. That charge is expected to be dismissed when he is sentenced.

Buck's sentencing is set for Nov. 22. Prosecutors said they will recommend a two-year, 10-month sentence and will not file an additional attempted murder charge.