HONOLULU -- Three men pleaded guilty on Monday to the shooting deaths of two men at the Pali Golf Course in 2004.

The plea comes just one day before the case was scheduled to go to trial.

The three former gambling strong-arms admitted their involvement in the double slayings at the Pali Golf Course in January 2004.

Lepo Taliese and Romelius Corpuz Jr. were shot to death. A third man, Tino Sao, survived a shot to the face.

The defendants said the victims were a threat to their gambling security business.

In federal court, Rodney Joseph Jr. and Kevin Gonsalves agreed to the plea deal in which prosecutors will ask for 27½ years in prison.

The group's leader Ethan Motta negotiated his plea deal that calls for 20 to 27½ years in prison. Motta admitted shooting Taliese and Sao.

Motta told Judge Susan Mollway that the men went to the golf course with the intent of intimidating their rivals. However, in the end, he said things went wrong. They became frightened because the victims were big men. They wound up shooting all three, he said.

The plea agreements are a victory of sorts for the three men. For years, their cases bounced between federal and city prosecutors. The feds were prosecuting them as an organized crime group, the city as individuals charged with murder.

The defendants could have gotten life without parole if found guilty as charged by city prosecutors. However, the city dropped the case and let the feds take over.

Joseph's mother left the courtroom after the proceedings feeling at peace even though her son may spend at least two more decades in prison.

"Well, we're really happy that it's over. I know that God is in control of every courtroom, and Rodney loves God right now. He always has. It just turned out OK for us," Vanessa Joseph Orso said. "He's going to come out. God willing, yes, he will come out."

The three men said they were protecting a gambling club owned by a fourth defendant.

Kai Ming Wang was expected to make a plea deal on Monday afternoon for 21 months, which he has already served.

Mollway will ultimately decide their sentences. If she strays from the plea agreements, all four men will have the option of going to trial.

Sentencing is set for May and June of this year.