Two Tri-City women were convicted Wednesday of holding a Pasco woman against her will over a stolen cellphone.

Kelly Cavazos, 18, of Kennewick, and Carrie Childs, 48, of Richland, entered an Alford plea to a reduced charge of second-degree kidnapping.

Logan Roberts, 24, of Kennewick, also pleaded guilty by an Alford plea on Tuesday to second-degree kidnapping and ordered to prison in connection with the same October incident.

The trio denied committing the crime, but took the plea deal offered by prosecutors because they believed there is enough evidence to convict them.

Pasco police arrested the three after Victoria Cook, 19, reported she had been held against her will at Childs' Richland home.

Prosecutors said Cavazos went to Cook's home, pulled her into a car and drove to Oregon Avenue and East Lewis Street where she picked up Childs and Roberts.

They then drove to Childs' home in the 2400 block of Horizon View Lane, tied her up and interrogated her over a missing cellphone.

Childs and Cavazos were accused of assaulting Cook and threatening to throw her in the river if she didn't tell them where the phone was.

Roberts apparently didn't physically harm Cook, but also threatened to knock her out and throw her in the river, documents said.

Cook was able to escape and called for help from the KFC in Richland, Prosecutor Shawn Sant said.

He told Judge Robert Swisher in Franklin County Superior Court on Wednesday that he was prepared to go to trial on the original charge, but he consulted with Cook, who agreed to resolve the case with the plea agreement.

Childs' attorney, Kevin Holt, told Swisher that his client has disputed the facts alleged by police and prosecutors from the start. He said a "very comprehensive" defense investigation showed the "facts didn't play out exactly the way they were presented" in court documents.

"I don't want to minimize it ... kidnapping is a kidnapping," Holt said, but he added the real question is when the incident actually turned into a kidnapping. "There's clear evidence from the victim that she voluntarily got in the car ... and wasn't kidnapped in Pasco, but there came a point where she felt she no longer was able to leave on her own volition."

Judge Swisher asked Holt if his client wanted to back out of the plea agreement, but Holt said no. He just wanted to point out that things aren't always exactly as they appear.

"My client's taking full responsibility and it's a fair resolution," he said.

Childs and Cavazos faced a sentencing range of six to 12 months in jail, but Sant agreed to recommend six months.

He also recommended that they be allowed to serve 45 days on work crew, which has to be completed within two months. The remaining time can be served on work release, if they are eligible.

Swisher agreed to follow that recommendation.

Defense attorney Scott Johnson, who represented Cavazos, told the court he appreciated the prosecutors being willing to work with him and Holt on the case.

"This is one where we might have had a chance" to win at trial, Johnson said.

But, Cavazos could have received a sentence of more than 51/2 years in prison if she was found guilty at a trial, and Johnson said it was "too big a risk to take."

"She got caught up in something she shouldn't have done," he said.

Both women were expected to be released from the Franklin County jail after their court hearing Wednesday.

Roberts, who has a criminal record, received a longer sentence of one year and three months in prison.