photo by: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

Joshua William Spence

A 44-year-old Lawrence man was sentenced to just over 17 years in prison Wednesday for child abuse; aggravated indecent solicitation of a child; and violation of his probation in an earlier crime against a child.

Joshua William Spence was originally charged with aggravated indecent liberties with a child but pleaded no contest in October 2025 in Douglas County District Court to child abuse by impeding the breathing of a young boy, who is listed in court documents as having been born in 2018, and to three counts of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child. The crimes occurred in November of 2024, while Spence was on probation for an earlier crime against a child. The earlier crime, from July 2022, was originally charged as sexual exploitation of a child — he was accused of possessing child pornography — but that case was plea-bargained down to the felony of contributing to a child’s misconduct; Spence, however, was still required to register as a sex offender.

Judge Stacey Donovan, in line with the parties’ plea agreement, gave Spence 100 months for child abuse; 32 months each for two counts of aggravated indecent solicitation; and 31 months for another count of aggravated indecent solicitation — to run consecutively for a total of 195 months in prison, or just over 16 years. She then revoked his probation in the earlier crime and ordered him to serve an additional year for that, consecutive to the other terms.

Spence chose not to speak at his sentencing, but an adult man briefly addressed the court on behalf of Spence’s victim. The man said he had known Spence for some time and had trusted him to be around children. He acknowledged that Spence had dealt with mental health issues, but he said, “he messed up.” He wished Spence “the best of luck” going forward.

“Hopefully he can get straight to where he doesn’t do things like this again,” the man said.

Donovan said the man’s ability to forgive and wish Spence well was “laudable.”

Spence was granted 440 days of credit for time he has served in jail awaiting disposition of his case. When he is released from prison he will be subject to lifetime supervision.