Missouri Man Sentenced for Shooting at Crop Dusting Plane

A southwest Missouri man faces more than six years in prison for shooting at a small aircraft he claimed was interfering with his sleep.

The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri said in a release that 39-year-old David Leroy Dickenson of Miller was sentenced Tuesday to six and a half years in prison without parole. Dickenson also has to pay the aircraft owner about $17,500.

Dickenson pleaded guilty last year to destruction of an aircraft.

Court documents show that in December 2014 Dickenson was angry that a low-flying plane spraying herbicide was interrupting his day-time sleep. He went outside with a shotgun and shot at the plane.

The pilot wasn't injured, and safely landed the plane, which had several buckshot holes in it.