MIAMI -- A former Miami police officer accused of raping at least three women was sentenced Wednesday morning to 10 years in prison and 10 years of probation.

Michael Ragusa, 32, was off duty when he allegedly picked up the women while driving around in his police cruiser near his home in Miami Beach.

While he would have faced charges in connection with all three women, the State Attorney's Office said it was preparing to charge Ragusa in three other cases. However, in agreeing to the written plea, assistant state attorney Jorge Cueta said some of the victims were reluctant to testify.

"The victims in a lot of these cases have been traumatized enough and they don't want to expose themselves to a trial," he said.

Ragusa's attorney, Milton Hirsch, said Ragusa understood that a conviction could send him to prison for life.

"He understood that we had multiple cases, each with multiple counts," Hirsch said. "Conviction on any one count in any one case would mean life imprisonment. He realized that that's just not worth it."

Ragusa's parents were in court but declined to speak to reporters after Judge Rosa Rodriguez accepted the agreement.