photo by: Johnson County Sheriff's Office

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

A husband and wife who were both charged with felony sex crimes pleaded no contest Tuesday in Douglas County District Court to lesser crimes of battery and theft.

Michalia Danielle Williams, 25, and Joshua Michael Williams, 35, of Belton, Missouri, both entered no contest pleas as a part of an agreement with the state. Each originally faced a level-one felony count of criminal sodomy and one misdemeanor count of theft.

The high-level felony could have resulted in a minimum of 147 months, or more than 12 years, in prison for someone with no criminal history. Judge Stacey Donovan said that the court was not aware that Michalia had a criminal record but that Joshua fell into the highest criminal history category. Kansas sentencing guidelines recommend as much as 653 months, or more than 54 years, in prison if he were to be convicted of a level-one felony.

Michalia pleaded to two counts of felony theft, and Joshua pleaded to one felony count of aggravated battery. Donovan said that Michalia was facing five to 17 months on each count of theft and Joshua faced 30 to 34 months for the battery charge.

Deputy District Attorney Joshua Seiden said that if the case had gone to trial the state would have presented evidence that on March 6 the victim called a ride-sharing service and was picked up by Joshua and Michalia. Joshua was the driver, Seiden said, and during the ride he battered the victim, and Michalia took the victim’s phone and purse.

It wasn’t clear what the basis of the original sodomy charge was.

Seiden said that the victim was engaged in the plea negotiations through an attorney.

As previously reported, the two were arrested on the charges in May and were each given a $20,000 cash or surety bond.

Michalia bonded out about a week later, according to the Douglas County Jail’s booking log, but Joshua could not be released because of a hold for a probation violation in Johnson County.

He had been sentenced to 14 months for a felony criminal threat conviction from June 2021, which was suspended to probation in January, according to Johnson County District Court records. Michalia, who recently gave birth, is currently facing misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct charges in connection with the same incident and is scheduled to appear Oct. 18 in Johnson County District Court.

Joshua has additional convictions for a felony criminal threat in 2012 and felony attempted aggravated escape from custody in 2014 in Johnson County, according to Kansas Department of Corrections records. He is currently in custody at the Douglas County Jail. Michalia and Joshua are scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 8.