A Wisconsin man was sentenced to three years in prison for an incident where he battered two police officers and attempted to take one of their service weapons in Richmond.
Joseph G. Pickett, 26, of the 4200 block of West Le Grande Boulevard in Mequon, Wisconsin, was charged in May 2021 with four counts of aggravated battery on a peace officer, aggravated assault, resisting a peace officer, three counts of possession of a controlled substance and attempting to disarm a peace officer.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court said that officers with the Richmond Police Department attempted to arrest Pickett around 10:35 p.m. on May 15.
Pickett struck an officer with open hands and grabbed the officer by his duty belt as he resisted arrest, the complaint said.
Pickett struck a second officer on his arm and spit on him. Pickett then pushed the first officer and grabbed him as he refused to be handcuffed, the complaint said.
During the scuffle, Pickett attempted to disarm the first officer by trying to take his service weapon from its holster, the complaint said.
The complaint also said that the man swung his fist and kicked his feet at firefighters and paramedics with the Richmond Fire Protection District.
Officers found Pickett in possession of methamphetamine, Alprazolam pills and cocaine.
Pickett was released from custody after posting 10% of a $50,000 bond at the time of his arrest.
On Tuesday, Pickett entered into a negotiated plea deal with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.
He pleaded guilty to aggravated battery of a peace officer, a Class 2 felony, and possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony.
In exchange, prosecutors dismissed the rest of his charges.
McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge approved the plea deal and sentenced him to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Pickett’s sentence will be served at 50%, according to sentencing documents.