A downstate man has been sentenced to more than three decades’ imprisonment for a drug deal that turned violent once he realized he was being arrested.

Leamon R. Cavitt Jr., 48, of the 1600 block of North 36th Street, East St. Louis, was sentenced Jan. 13 by Circuit Judge John A. Barsanti to 34 years’ imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Cavitt was convicted March 17, 2016, by a Kane County jury, of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, a Class X felony, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 1 felony, aggravated battery to a peace officer, a Class 2 felony, three counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, each a Class 3 felony, and aggravated fleeing and eluding, a Class 4 felony.

Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney Kelly M. Orland presented evidence during the trial that on the afternoon of Jan. 17, 2012, Cavitt arrived at a restaurant parking lot in the 1600 block of Ravine Lane, Carpentersville, to follow through on an arrangement to purchase one kilogram of cocaine. The deal had been arranged by the co-defendant in the case.

Cavitt provided $30,000 to the co-defendant, who carried it to the sellers, two undercover police officers. Cavitt remained in his parked car. Once the co-defendant took possession of the kilogram of cocaine on Cavitt’s behalf, police signaled for the arrest to proceed, and an unmarked police vehicle pulled behind Cavitt’s car. Cavitt put his car in reverse and rammed into the police vehicle at high speed as an officer was exiting, striking and injuring the officer. Cavitt then went forward at high speed, forcing another officer to jump out of the way to avoid being run over.

Cavitt left the scene at a high speed, driving over a curb and bushes and down an embankment. Police pursued Cavitt at high speeds through multiple jurisdictions until Cavitt surrendered in Itasca. Multiple officers, fearing for their safety and the safety of their fellow officers, fired their weapons at Cavitt during the incident, striking him and injuring him.

The sentence is 30 years for the drug deal, three years for the aggravated battery to the officers and one year for the lengthy car chase.

According to Illinois law, Cavitt must serve at least 75 percent of the 30-year term, and he is eligible for day-for-day credit on the remainder of the sentence. Cavitt receives credit for 1,824 days served in the Kane County jail.

“Drug dealing puts communities at risk, and in this case it wasn’t just the drugs creating the risks. Mr. Cavitt endangered police officers and many other people when he fled the scene and led police on a dangerous high-speed chase,” Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said. “Thanks to the Carpentersville, Streamwood, Addison and Schaumburg police departments, as well as the Illinois State Police, for their work and assistance in this case.”

The charges against the co-defendant are not proof of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.