A U.S. Marine has entered a guilty plea in connection with the kidnapping and murder of an Iraqi man by U.S. forces in April.

Joe Snodgrass, grandfather of Marine Pfc. John Jodka III, holds a photo of his grandson

Private First-Class John Jodka pleaded guilty to charges of assault and conspiracy to obstruct justice Thursday before a military judge. Prosecutors agreed to drop charges of murder, kidnapping and larceny in exchange for his plea.

He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years. He will be sentenced on November 15.

Jodka is one of eight people - seven Marines and a Navy corpsman - charged in the death of Hashim Ibrahim Awad in the town of Hamdania. He testified the squad had agreed with their squad leader to kidnap and kill a known insurgent.

Prosecutors say that when the squad could not find the insurgent, they kidnapped Awad, threw him in a hole and shot him several times. They placed a shovel and rifle near his body to suggest he had been planting a roadside bomb.

The Navy corpsman charged in the case, Marcos Bacos, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and murder earlier this month.