COEUR d'ALENE - Dylan P. Paschall was sentenced Wednesday to four to 10 years in prison for the death of 18-year-old Luke Anana-Kuewa in March 2012.

Paschall, 22, of Post Falls, agreed to be sentenced as part of an Alford plea to the charge of involuntary manslaughter. He was given credit for the more than 450 days he spent in Kootenai County jail. He was released in June on bail.

"I would just like to see justice for my son," the victim's mother, Carol-Lynn Kuewa, told 1st District Court Judge Fred Gibler. The judge ordered that the first four years of Paschall's 10-year sentence be fixed.

Anana-Kuewa was full of energy, helped anyone he could, and wanted to be a lifeguard, according to his family.

"He was a fun person to be around," Anana-Kuewa's stepfather, Eric Corin, told the court.

The state sought a sentence of five to 10 years in prison.

Kootenai County Deputy Prosecutor David Robins told the court that Paschall repeatedly punched Anana-Kuewa at the shoreline of icy Mill Pond on Spirit Lake late at night on March 24, 2012.

Paschall and three friends had been drinking rum and smoking marijuana that night in a relatively secluded spot known as Bubba's Pit. Anana-Kuewa later wandered in and joined them for the smoking and drinking.

His body was found the next day just 9 feet from shore and in only 3 feet of water. His death was ruled a drowning, but it didn't add up because he was a good swimmer. He was born in Hawaii and grew up swimming in the Pacific Ocean.

But Anana-Kuewa's face was swollen, and it had cuts and scrapes, consistent with being punched. Some of his clothes showed signs of a struggle.

"The defendant also smothered him" by placing a hand over his mouth to quiet him during the struggle, said Robins, who read from transcripts of police questioning of Paschall. The prosecutor said Paschall lied to investigators who were trying to piece together what happened.

When Paschall and his friends left the area they didn't call for help, Robins said.

Paschall didn't speak at his sentencing hearing.

His defense attorney, Brad Chapman, reminded the judge that the prosecution didn't prove the case in a jury trial. Paschall had been charged with second-degree murder, but the charge was reduced in the plea agreement.

Chapman called Anana-Kuewa's death a tragic event, and said he sees genuine grief in his client.

Like in previous hearings, Chapman said his client pulled Anana-Kuewa from the water multiple times. During those earlier hearings there was testimony that Anana-Kuewa acted erratically that night and went into the water on his own multiple times.

Chapman said Anana-Kuewa was alive and on shore when his client left the scene.

"Whatever we do, we can't bring Luke back," Chapman said.