EPHRATA — A Moses Lake man is facing up to life in prison after pleading guilty to raping the 6-year-old daughter of his then-girlfriend in 2014.

David Eney, 54, pleaded guilty to first-degree rape of a child and first-degree child molestation. Eney had originally denied the accusations when the child revealed them to her mother, who subsequently called police.

But four years later, Eney contacted mental health services through the Department of Social and Health Services, where he admitted to sexually assaulting the 6-year-old in 2014, as well as his niece in 2008. DSHS forwarded the interview to the Moses Lake Police Department for further review.

A detective reached out a week later to the girl’s mother who still lived with Eney in 2018, though the girl now lived with her father in Ephrata. During an interview, the mother indicated that she had recently confronted Eney for flirting with her stepsister, and during the conversation brought up the abuse of her daughter.

The mother reportedly threatened to flush the ashes of Eney’s ex-girlfriend down the toilet if he did not admit to assaulting the daughter. During further investigation, the daughter detailed to officers the extent of her rape by Eney.

As part of his plea agreement, Eney is barred from coming within 1000 feet of his victim for 99 years, and faces between 15 year to life in prison, pending appeal.