A Casper man pleaded guilty during a change-of-plea hearing Friday to raping and trying to kill a 4-year-old girl in September.

Brandtly Bedsaul, 19, faces 60 years to life imprisonment for attempted second-degree murder and a consecutive 40- to 50-year sentence for first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, according to the plea agreement proposed to Natrona County District Court Judge Thomas Sullins.

In exchange for the plea, District Attorney Mike Blonigen and Bedsaul's Public Defender Kerri Johnson agreed to dismiss a third count of aggravated assault. An count of aggravated child abuse had been dismissed from the original charging documents.

Blonigen also recommended that Bedsaul serve a two- to three-year prison term concurrently, or at the same time, for a burglary crime.

Before Bedsaul entered his pleas, Sullins accepted a motion that amended the charges.

Bedsaul quietly answered, "yes, your honor," when the judge asked him about what happened.

Besides sheriff's deputies and reporters, no one else attended the hearing.

The judge will review the terms of the plea agreement and receive a pre-sentence investigation report before deciding whether to impose the sentence that would put Bedsaul at a minimum of 100 years behind bars.

A sentencing date will be set later.

He remains in custody on a $1 million bond. He had two mental evaluations, but apparently was found competent to stand trial, which was set for Aug. 7.

The family of the girl approved of the plea agreement, Blonigen said after the hearing. "They were very much in support of it."

The plea agreement avoided a trial during which the family would have had to relive the events of late September, he said.

The girl is recovering from the brutal assault, Blonigen said. "She continues to receive treatment."

The case started the evening of Sept. 28 when police responded to a residence in Casper, according court records.

People told police they were having a gathering with family members and children. One resident realized a child was missing, called for her but was unable to find her.

He went outside and saw Bedsaul with his hands around the girl’s neck. He was naked from the waist down, and her shirt was pulled up to her neck and she was covered in blood.

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