(AP) — An Iowa man is maintaining his innocence in a fatal shooting, but he has pleaded guilty to a gun charge.

Authorities say 35-year-old Fernando Jaimes-Martinez pleaded guilty Friday to being a felon in possession of a firearm because he has two Nebraska felony convictions on his record. Jaimes-Martinez faces three to 15 years in prison and deportation for that.

Jaimes-Martinez is scheduled to go to trial this week on a first-degree murder charge. He is accused of firing a gun into a crowd on Sept. 22, 2012, and killing 27-year-old Karla Gonzalez.

Earlier, Jaimes-Martinez refused to plead guilty to the killing as part of a plea agreement.

The murder trial is scheduled to begin on Tuesday. If convicted, Jaimes-Martinez would face a sentence of life in prison.