With his rape trial set to begin next week, Matt Hickey has reached a plea deal that will keep the former Capitol Hill journalist behind bars but will help the 41-year-old avoid a much longer sentence.

According to King County court records of the plea agreement reached by defense attorney James Bible, Hickey has pleaded guilty to one count of indecent liberties and two three counts of assault with intent to commit indecent liberties. He had faced four separate counts of second degree rape.

The Stranger’s Sydney Brownstone, whose investigation of the fake porn “auditions” is credited with bringing Hickey to justice, reports that he will face a sentence of up to 36 months in jail in the plea deal and will be required to register as a sex offender when he is released. “This outcome means that the women who brought the charges against Hickey will not have to undergo a trial with cross-examination, a re-traumatizing experience for many rape survivors who often have their characters and sexual histories questioned on the stand,” she writes. “Instead, Hickey’s victims will read victim impact statements at his sentencing, currently scheduled for late December, to help the judge determine Hickey’s punishment.”

Hickey’s sentencing is scheduled for December 22nd.