Douglas County defendant faces new felony theft charge after plea deal
William Michael Pope was charged with felony theft after allegedly stealing silverware, while his earlier gun case remained sealed and unsentenced.
William Michael Pope was back in Douglas County court with a new felony theft charge while he still had not been sentenced in the earlier liquor-store case. The 45-year-old faced the new count after a May 4 theft of sterling silverware valued at more than $1,500.
The earlier case grew out of a March 4, 2025 incident at Buddy’s Liquor on West Sixth Street, where Pope wore a face covering, demanded money and was accused of brandishing a gun. On Oct. 15, 2025, Pope pleaded no contest to one count of aggravated assault. Prosecutors dropped attempted aggravated robbery and an additional aggravated-assault-related count, agreed to a no finding that a firearm was used, did not object to removing his GPS monitor before sentencing and recommended probation.
Kansas Special Rule 1 presumes a prison sentence when a defendant uses a gun in the commission of a person felony. Judge Stacey Donovan later sealed the arrest affidavit in full rather than redacting sensitive passages, kept the written plea agreement sealed and accepted Pope’s waiver of a preliminary hearing.
Donovan’s Nov. 30 order said the affidavit should be sealed based on written arguments from both sides and cited concerns that release could jeopardize the safety of a victim, witness, confidential source or undercover agent, interfere with a law-enforcement action, criminal investigation or prosecution, reveal confidential investigative techniques or endanger someone’s life or physical safety. Assistant District Attorney Cody Smith declined to explain why the plea was sealed without first checking with a supervisor.
By June 23, 2026, Pope was in court for a status conference in the earlier case and still had not been sentenced seven months after the October conviction. The new theft charge came on top of a Kansas Department of Corrections record that includes theft and burglary in Osage County in 2012, forgery in Anderson County in 2003, burglary and aggravated assault in Shawnee County in 2012 and 2013, robbery in Franklin County in 2013 and robbery in Douglas County in 2006.
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