A Dowagiac’s man habitual lack of respect for the authority — and safety — of local law enforcement officers has earned him an extended stay at a Michigan state penitentiary.

Cass County Circuit Court Judge Michael Dodge sentenced 41-year-old Shawn Dixon to a minimum term of two years and a maximum term of 15 years in prison for resisting and obstructing a police officer during his sentencing hearing Friday morning at the Cass County Law & Courts Building in Cassopolis.

Dixon had pleaded guilty to the charge during an earlier appearance in court, on June 22. Dixon was arrested on May 30, after being stopped by an officer with Pokagon Tribal Police on Gage Street in Dowagiac.

The police officer approached Dixon due to the fact that the Dowagiac man matched the description of a suspect they were looking for, who had fled from the scene of a property destruction incident, Dodge said.

“You immediately became uncooperative with the officer [and] refused to obey his commands,” Dodge said. “Eventually, you became aggressive enough with the officer that he was forced to taze you several times.”

After another officer was called to the scene to assist in the arrest, Dixon escalated his level of aggression, spitting on the police and kicking both in the shins. He also made several vulgar-filled verbal attacks, with the officers’ report stating that Dixon threatened to “f— us [the officers] up.”

“You even told them you were a terrorist and were planning on going on a killing spree,” Dodge said.

Chief Assistant Prosecutor Frank Machnik described the defendant’s character as “very bad,” pointing out that he has four felonies and 15 misdemeanors on his prior record, many of which involve the assault or obstruction of law enforcement.

“In this latest demonstration, clearly he has no respect for police at all,” Machnik said.

The prosecutor asked Dodge to sentence Dixon to a lengthy prison sentence, to not only protect police from his abuse but to also send a message to others who may attempt similar actions in the future, Machnik said.

Dixon’s attorney, Gregory Feldman, argued that the Dowagiac man should serve a local sentence instead, saying that it would give him the opportunity to further his education and clean up his act. Dixon also spoke on his own behalf, asking for the opportunity to be given work release so he can continue to support his family.

Judge Dodge decided against giving Dixon the opportunity to serve time locally, pointing out that he never successfully completed any of the probation sentences handed to him in the past. The judge also reprimanded the defendant for the severity of his actions, which one of the officers described as “very violent and grotesque.”

“[The police] don’t deserve that kind of treatment,” Dodge said. “You deserve to be punished for it, and the only way at this point is a very significant period of confinement, to curb this behavior.”

Dixon was given credit for 48 days already served.