URBANA – A Rantoul woman who kicked a correctional officer is headed to prison for six years.

Jessica Elmer, 25, of the 200 block of Marco Drive pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated battery. Because of her criminal record, she had to be sentenced as a Class X felon.

Assistant State's Attorney Chris Kanis said Elmer was taken to the Champaign County Jail about 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 1 in a domestic battery case. While there, she tried to spit on and kick a correctional officer and eventually succeeded in kicking the officer, who was not seriously injured.

Kanis said Elmer had prior convictions for theft, forgery, burglary, battery and possession of a stolen vehicle.

Kanis said Elmer was not charged in the domestic battery.

In an unrelated case, Jason A. Baker, 29, of Ashmore was sentenced to four years in prison for retail theft. He pleaded guilty Wednesday, admitting that he stole just under $300 from the Sherwin-Williams store, 1504 N. Cunningham Ave., U, by writing a bad check there in March 2009.

Assistant State's Attorney Sarah Carlson said that in return for his plea and an order that he repay seven area businesses about $6,500 for bad checks he wrote, she dismissed or agreed not to file other similar cases.