A 22-year-old Plainville man pleaded guilty to first-degree rape and second-degree assault, ending his jury trial just before it began in Cayuga County Court Monday.

Harold Calkins, formerly of White Cemetery Road, initially was charged with nine counts of rape, kidnapping, assault and criminal sex act charges in connection with an alleged incident with an 18-year-old woman July 1, 2006, in a wooded area of Sterling.

Calkins allegedly threatened to kill the woman before cutting her and forcing her to perform different sexual acts with him, authorities said.

“I was prepared to introduce testimony from 14 witnesses this week to establish that this defendant committed forcible compulsion rape of an 18-year-old girl he had just (met) that day,” county District Attorney James B. Vargason said in a press release. “I would not accept anything less than a plea to the most serious charge and then only if it included a lengthy sentence.”

First-degree rape, a class B violent felony, is punishable by up to 25 years in prison, while the assault charge carries a seven-year maximum. Calkins is scheduled for sentencing Aug. 7.

Vargason said he expects to ask for a 16 year sentence at least. Defense attorney Paul D. Carey declined comment when reached Monday afternoon.

“The victim and her family are relieved that she will not have to face him in court and that he will be going to prison for a very long time,” Vargason said.