Fort Hood, Texas ? A former Abu Ghraib guard pleaded guilty Tuesday to battery and two other charges in the Iraqi prison abuse scandal as part of a deal with prosecutors on the eve of his trial.

Sgt. Javal Davis, 27, also pleaded guilty to dereliction of duty and making a false official statement to Army investigators after photographs of naked and abused prisoners became public last spring. Davis, from Roselle, N.J., will not be tried on two other charges he had faced: conspiracy and maltreating detainees.

Defense attorney Paul Bergrin told The Associated Press last week that Davis was working on a deal with prosecutors that would cap his possible sentence at 18 months.

Capt. Chuck Neill, a prosecution spokesman, acknowledged that a deal was made, but would not comment about the sentencing.

A jury of officers and soldiers will be selected Wednesday for sentencing. Neill said the jury’s sentence recommendation will be compared to the deal offered to Davis, and that the lesser sentence will be served.

“We intend to present a very, very aggressive sentencing trial such that this panel will give him no punishment at all,” Bergrin said, adding that Davis will likely testify during the hearing.

Davis admitted Tuesday that he stepped on the hands and feet of some of the seven detainees brought into his section of Abu Ghraib for punishment after a November 2003 disturbance in a prison tent camp nearby. He said he also fell with full weight on top of them.

Davis, who did not appear in any of the notorious Abu Ghraib photos, also said he saw others abusing detainees, but he did not come forward.

The pleas were entered after the judge, Col. James Pohl, rejected efforts by Davis to get all the charges dismissed.

The three charges to which Davis pleaded guilty carry a maximum punishment of 6 1/2 years in prison. Davis had faced up to 8 1/2 years.