William Derr, 40, entered an Alford plea of guilty to one count of sexual assault Monday, June 2, in Fifth District Court.

An Alford plea waives a defendant's right to a trial because the defendant believes the state has enough evidence to get a conviction but does not admit guilt to the charges.

Derr entered the plea agreement just before his trial in Tonopah began. He was charged with two counts of sexual assault and two counts of kidnapping

"Everyone who came up from Pahrump -- the victims, the witnesses -- were ecstatic," Nye County District Attorney Bob Beckett said. "They were happy justice was served and they didn't have to go through a trial and then a lengthy appeal process."

The felony sexual assault charge carries a sentence of 10 years to life in state prison with the possibility of parole only after a minimum of 10 years is served.

It is non-probational offense.

The plea agreement states the prosecution will argue for the maximum life sentence at the Sept. 8 hearing.

Derr was originally arrested in June 2007 after he became a suspect in three separate incidents that occurred in the valley in March and April that year.

The plea agreement involves charges in two separate sexual assaults.

The first occurred March 7, 2007, at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10054 on Homestead Road when a 58-year-old female victim was accosted, had her hands and feet bound with zip ties, and was left lying behind the building until she was discovered in the morning.

The second incident occurred three days later when a 30-year-old woman was forced into her apartment and sexually assaulted with a knife to her throat.

"No matter what, this guy will be put in jail for at least 10 years," Beckett said. "Justice was served for what he did."

Derr is also being charged separately for a misdemeanor charge of battery for an incident that occurred April 1, 2007, during which a woman was assaulted outside Valley Bar.

He was convicted of the charge in Pahrump Justice Court but the conviction was overturned on appeal earlier this month.

Derr's new hearing for that charge is pending.