By Jon King / jking@whmi.com


Sentencing was handed down to an Ingham County man who led local police on a high speed chase last spring.

23-year old Dustin Sweet pleaded guilty earlier this month to four counts stemming from an incident that took place on May 5th 2020. Sweet had been chased by authorities from Lansing after being spotted by a Michigan State Trooper who recognized him as a suspect who fled from a previous traffic stop.

The chase reached speeds of 98 miles-per-hour as Sweet fled police down eastbound I-96 to the Webberville exit, then along Grand River into Fowlerville where he was eventually blocked in and taken into custody.

In Livingston County Circuit Court today, Judge Michael Hatty sentenced Sweet to a year in the Livingston County Jail on each of the four charges; including possession of methamphetamine, receiving and concealing a motor vehicle, carrying a concealed weapon and 4th degree fleeing and eluding a police officer. However, he also gave him credit for 278 days already served.

Sweet’s attorney had asked for his client to receive no additional jail time, but Judge Hatty noted the fact that the defendant was scheduled for sentencing next month in Ingham County on similar charges and had an outstanding Eaton County case. Hatty then said Sweet “earned every bit of a year in Livingston County” and hoped to send him a message that he needed to change his behavior.