photo by: Johnson County Sheriff's Office

Joshua Michael Williams, left, and Michalia Danielle Williams in 2021.

A Missouri woman was sentenced Tuesday in Douglas County District Court to six months in prison — which was suspended to probation — for a crime that was originally charged as criminal sodomy but that was reduced through plea bargaining to two counts of felony theft.

As the Journal-World previously reported, Michalia D. Williams, 25, of Liberty, Missouri, and her husband, Joshua Michael Williams, of Belton, Missouri, were accused of battering a 28-year-old woman and stealing her purse and phone during a ride-share service in March in which Joshua was driving. The two were originally charged with one felony count of criminal sodomy and one misdemeanor count of theft.

It was not clear what the basis of the sodomy charge was, but Michalia pleaded no contest to two counts of felony theft, and Joshua pleaded no contest to one count of aggravated battery. Judge Stacey Donovan sentenced Joshua earlier this month to 32 months in prison.

The victim in the case, who was not present at Tuesday’s hearing, had input into the plea agreement, and the parties involved believed that the resolution of the case was reasonable, according to both Deputy District Attorney Joshua Seiden and defense attorney Dakota Loomis.

On Tuesday, Donovan sentenced Michalia to six months for each theft count, to run concurrently, which she then suspended to 12 months of probation.

As part of her probation, Michalia, who was pregnant when she was arrested in May and now has a 4-month-old baby, must undergo a sex offender evaluation and comply with any recommendations that result from that. She must also refrain from drug and alcohol use and continue substance abuse treatment, as well as maintain employment or status as a student.

Michalia, who is living at a residence for homeless mothers in Liberty, Missouri, told the court that she was working on getting her GED and was currently unable to hold a job.

The judge ordered Michalia to pay $412 in various court-related costs within 12 months.