EPHRATA - A Moses Lake man could face life in prison after pleading guilty Wednesday to raping a juvenile acquaintance on several occasions in three counties.

Stephen M. Tison, 47, pleaded guilty in Grant County Superior Court to two counts of second-degree child rape and three counts of second-degree rape with a victim under the age of 15.

Tison, who sat crying in the courtroom Wednesday during his plea, was charged by prosecutors in October. Tison initially pled not guilty.

According to court records, Tison admitted to molesting the child when she was six or seven and continued the behavior for about seven years at locations in Grant, Douglas and Columbia counties, with the most recent in September at a home in Moses Lake, where the child attempted to fight back. Prosecutors in the three counties agreed to hear all the charges in Grant County to "collectively resolve" the matter.

Tison, who moved to Moses Lake in 2012, reportedly told police he gave the child Ambien or hydrocodone before at least four of the incidents to "ease the pain," according to court records.

Moses Lake police were first contacted Oct. 10 after the child believed she was pregnant, according to reports.

Tison will serve at least 25 years in prison, the minimum required sentence from the charges. The maximum sentence is life in prison. Prosecutors said Tison had no criminal history prior to this case.

Sentencing is set for Jan. 27.