CANYON CITY Casey James Wood says he skipped out on his rape trial this month because of threats that gang members would kill him in prison.

Wood, 29, offered that scenario at his Jan. 24 appearance in Grant County Circuit Court, where he pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree rape and one count felony failure to appear.

Judge William D. Cramer Jr. accepted the pleas in a deal brokered by the prosecutor, defense attorney and an attorney representing the victim in the rape case, a girl younger than 14.

Cramer sentenced Wood to 72 months in prison on one count of second-degree rape, with credit for time served; a $5,000 fine to be paid to an attorney trust account for the victims treatment; and 10 years postprison supervision. The judge also ordered Wood to register as a sex offender and complete a sex offender evaluation, following any recommended treatment.

Wood was ordered not to have contact with the victim in the case or any other minor females, but he could be allowed to see his 3-year-old daughter under direct supervision of a responsible adult.

On the failure to appear charge, Wood was sentenced to 10 months in prison, concurrent with the other prison term, and a $1,000 fine.

With the deal, the state drops two counts of second-degree sodomy, three counts of sexual abuse, and a separate case charging patronizing a prostitute.

Deputy District Attorney Jeremy Dietrich, noting that all the charges stemmed from one night, said he believes a trial would result in a similar outcome. He also said that in making the deal, the parties considered the impact of a trial on the victim in the case.

Defense attorney Markku Sario noted that the plea deal accepted last week was considerably more stringent than one offered and rejected as the case moved toward trial.

The rape case grew out of an incident last June 27 at Canyon City Park.

The other case stemmed from Woods flight across the state to avoid the Jan. 8 rape trial. Wood, who had pleaded not guilty in the case, had been free on bail pending the trial. When he failed to show, Circuit Judge William D. Cramer Jr. dismissed the jury and had a warrant issued for Woods arrest.

Police responding to a suspicious van report tracked him in the woods east of Astoria and arrested him on Jan. 11.

In a letter he read to the judge at sentencing, Wood said his flight wasnt due to irresponsibility, but ignorance and fear. He said a person who identified himself as an affiliate of the MS-13 gang had located him through a website and texted threats to his phone.

Wood said the texts indicated that gang affiliates in the prisons would be encouraged to welcome me in a manner that would undoubtedly be fatal.

Cramer said Wood should make his concerns known to the Department of Corrections, which sets the parameters and conditions of its inmates incarceration.

On the rape charge, Wood said only that he doesnt agree with the validity of the states evidence, but he would plead guilty.

The judge, who said he wouldnt have defendants plead guilty to things they didnt do, accepted the pleas after asking Dietrich to outline the evidence.

Dietrich said that if the case went to trial, witnesses would testify that Wood was at Canyon City Park with a couple of younger males, smoking pot, on the evening of the rape. They were joined by some underage girls, and Wood took a walk with one of the girls. They began with kissing and then had sexual intercourse in a nearby restroom.

Dietrich said Grant County Sheriffs Dep. James Burgett was interviewing the girl the next day when she received texts from Woods phone, making graphic references to the sex act. Dietrich the investigation also included testing of the girls underwear, which turned up semen that would implicate Wood.