Ex-USC wideout Joseph Lewis -- a former top H.S. recruit -- has just been sentenced to 1 year behind bars after pleading no contest to domestic violence ... TMZ Sports has learned.
As we previously reported ... Lewis was arrested and hit with one felony count of domestic violence back in July after officials say he "punched, scratched and strangled" a woman during a heated dispute.
Lewis appeared in court Monday and pled no contest to the charge. During the hearing, officials say he also fessed up to a domestic violence incident from February.
Lewis was facing up to 5 years in prison ... but instead got 365 days in jail, five years of probation and was ordered to complete a domestic violence course.
He's also been hit with a restraining order barring him from contacting the victim for 10 YEARS.
Lewis had just 4 catches as a freshman for the Trojans back in 2017, but was expected to be a big contributor this season before he was booted from the team.