Todd Trottier, 55, Belcourt, pleaded guilty Friday to a charge that he raped his then-girlfriend’s 8-year-old daughter in Minot nine years ago.

Trottier wiped his eyes, tilted his head back and appeared distraught after he answered “guilty” when North Central District Court Judge Richard Hagar asked him for a plea.

Trottier had been scheduled to go to trial next week on four Class AA felony counts of gross sexual imposition and could have faced up to life in prison without possibility of parole.

Under the terms of a plea agreement with the state, three of Class AA felony charges were dropped and he pleaded guilty to one Class AA felony.

Ward County Assistant State’s Attorney Marie Miller said the state and the defense will make a joint sentencing recommendation that Trottier serve about eight years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised probation. He would be sentenced to a total of 20 years under the sentencing recommendation, with 12 years suspended.

However, the sentencing recommendation is not binding, Hagar told Trottier, and Hagar could choose to sentence him differently.

Hagar ordered a pre-sentence investigation and set a sentencing date for Nov. 5.

The girl’s mother went to authorities in the 2015 after the girl began talking about what Trottier had done to her. The crime dates back to March 2009.