EPHRATA - A Moses Lake man is serving seven months in jail after he hit, kicked and stabbed his wife during an argument.

Antonio G. Jimenez II, 21, pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and tampering with a witness in Grant County Superior Court, according to court records.

Prosecutors initially charged the man with second-degree assault. The charge was lessened as part of the plea agreement, according to court records.

Jimenez' prior felony conviction was for attempted second-degree assault, according to court records. When combined with his present crimes, he faced a sentencing range of four months to a year in jail.

Grant County Superior Court Judge Evan Sperline followed the prosecutor's recommendation, sentencing Jimenez to seven months in jail.

The incident started when Jimenez returned home with another woman after being gone for three days, according to court records. When his wife asked why he was with the woman and where the marks on his neck came from, he started arguing with her.

After a few minutes, he advanced on his wife, making her fall to the ground and he began kicking her in the chest, head and ribs, according to a Moses Lake police report. He retrieved a .40 caliber pistol from the bedroom and set it beside him on the couch.

When the victim told him to leave, Jimenez became upset again and started yelling. The woman went to get their child, believing he wouldn't hit her with a child in her arms, according to the police report.

Jimenez started hitting and kicking her while she was on the floor and stabbed her in the leg, according to the police report. After the attack, he bandaged her leg, and took her to a doctor, telling her to lie about what happened. She told the doctor she cut herself with a utility knife.

When Jimenez was in jail, he sent the victim a six-page letter, which included a newspaper clipping and a note stating the phone numbers to contact the victim was blocked, according to a Grant County sheriff's report. The letter contained suggestions attempting to influence the victim and her testimony.