BAY CITY, MI -- A Bay County man alleged to have driven more than 100 miles -- one-way -- to abduct a preteen girl, bring her to his home, and sexually assault her has accepted a plea deal.

Chad D. Michael, 36, on Sept. 24 appeared before Bay County Circuit Judge Joseph K. Sheeran and pleaded no contest to one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct using force or coercion. The charge involves penetration and is punishable by up to 15 years' imprisonment.

In exchange, prosecutors agreed to dismiss three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim between the ages of 13 and 15, which is a life offense.

Bay County Prosecutor Nancy E. Borushko also said the agreement stipulates Michael will serve a minimum 10 years in prison.

Michael's trial was to begin Sept. 25.

By pleading no contest, Michael did not verbally admit to having committed a crime. Rather, Judge Sheeran had to rely on police reports to enter a conviction on the record.

Bay County Sheriff Troy R. Cunningham previously told MLive that about 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 18, an 11-year-old Dimondale girl was reported missing by her parents. Deputies in Dimondale's Eaton County pinged the girl's iPad and determined it was in or near a Frankenlust Township apartment building.

The Eaton County deputies contacted their Bay County counterparts, who went to the unit in the 7000 block of Mackinaw Road early Feb. 19. Deputies met with Michael. Inside his unit, deputies found the girl.

Police arrested Michael and transported the girl to an area hospital for an evaluation. She was later returned to her family.

Deputies subsequently learned the girl had met Michael several weeks prior via a Craigslist casual encounters portal, Cunningham has said. The night of Feb. 18, Michael had driven the roughly 110 miles to the girl's house and picked her up, then drove her back to his apartment, the sheriff has said.

Sheeran is to sentence Michael at 9 a.m. on Nov. 5.