YOUNGSTOWN — Johnny Norris, 42, pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony strangulation and felony domestic violence for offenses in July and will be sentenced later. Prosecutors and his attorney are jointly recommending that he get 5 to 7 1/2 years in prison.

Norris was indicted on one count of kidnapping and two counts of strangulation, plus the domestic violence. Mahoning County Assistant Prosecutor Caitlyn Andrews said the charges resulted after Norris got into an argument with the mother of his children and threatened to kill them.

“He shoved a blanket down her throat, choked her with a belt until she passed out multiple times and hit her in the face with a pot,” Andrews said. The episode took place July 24 in Youngstown.

The strangulation offense Norris pleaded guilty to is a second-degree felony, which is punishable by up to about eight years in prison.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law in January a bill that made strangulation a felony offense. It took effect in April.

As of April 4, in Ohio, an individual is guilty of strangulation if they cause serious physical harm or cause a substantial risk of serious physical harm to another person by means of strangulation or suffocation. Now, strangulation can be charged as a second-degree, fourth-degree or fifth-degree felony, according to the Forensic Magazine website.

Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court accepted Norris’ guilty pleas. He will sentence Norris at 11 a.m. Nov. 14.