The man who kidnapped his children from a former girlfriend in Cottage Grove has pleaded guilty in Washington County District Court.

Jeffrey Lo, 24, Minneapolis, could serve as much as 15 years in prison, the county attorney’s office said recently.

According to the criminal complaint, Lo triggered an Amber Alert on June 7 when he kidnapped his two daughters, ages 1 and 3.

At 6:30 a.m., Lo hid in the back of his ex-girlfriend’s minivan in the driveway of her parents’ home in Cottage Grove. When she got into the van, Lo hit her on the head with either a gun or the magazine of a gun.

He then pushed her aside to drive the van himself. The woman later escaped, and Lo drove away with the girls in the rear seats.

Four hours later, police recovered the abandoned van. A police helicopter spotted Lo lying in a nearby field, clutching the girls.

Lo pleaded guilty to two counts of kidnapping and one count of aggravated robbery.