A Pelham woman has been convicted in the sexual abuse of a young girl who authorities say was drugged and tortured for years.

Michelle Lee Ratliff, 49, pleaded guilty Monday to sexual torture by force, first-degree sodomy, and distribution of drugs to a minor, according to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office.

Michelle Ratliff and her husband, Edwin Ratliff, 37, were initially arrested in 2019.

A Shelby County grand jury in 2021 indicted Edwin Ratliff on 16 charges, and Michelle Ratliff on eight charges.

At the time of their arrests, Pelham police said the couple sexually abused a female relative from about 2010, when she was 10 years old up, until she was in her early teens.

The abuse sometimes happened multiple times in one day, said police, who described the crimes against the girl as “heinous.”

The victim was a young adult in 2019 when she reached out to Pelham police. She told them her extensive tale of both mental and physical abuse, that included sexual torture with “inanimate objects,” as well as photography and videotaping some of the sex crimes. The girl was also drugged at times.

Investigators said the victim’s details were corroborated during a search warrant at the couple’s home on Highway 35.

Among the drugs used on the girl, according to the indictment, were Adderall, Suboxone and Percocet.

Michelle Ratliff entered her guilty pleas on Monday. Her trial was scheduled for September.

She was sentenced to 26 years in prison, and prosecutors say she will not be eligible for parole or correctional incentive time, also known as “good time,” which means she can’t be released before her entire sentence has been served.

Edwin Ratliff in April pleaded guilty to rape, sodomy, sexual torture, enticing a child for immoral purposes and production of child porn.

He also was sentenced to 26 years in prison and is current housed at the state’s Bibb County Correctional Facility.

“Crimes such as this are a stain on our community and if you commit crimes like this in Shelby County my office will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” said District Attorney Matt Casey.

“We are thankful for the victim’s courage in this instance in coming forward.”