CAVALIER - A farmer who got in a gunfight with law enforcement officers and set the county courthouse on fire was ordered Friday to serve seven years in prison on charges of attempted murder, arson and reckless endangerment.

James Thorlakson, 55, of Hensel, showed no emotion during the hearing at the courthouse, which is still being repaired from the Aug. 19, 2005 rampage. Damage to the building was estimated at nearly $800,000.

Pembina County prosecutor Stuart Askew said Thorlakson has a 20-year history of mental problems, and he said that figured into the plea agreement.

Judge John McClintock sentenced Thorlakson to seven years each on the charges of attempted murder and arson and five years on the reckless endangerment charge, with all the sentences to run at the same time. He will get credit for time already served, and could be released in less than five years.

Thorlakson's attorney, Bruce Quick, said Thorlakson had no criminal history and had lived in county his whole life, and was married for 26 years with two adult children.

"Quite honestly, he's never been known to be an over-aggressive or violent person," Quick said.

Officers said the shooting started after they came to Thorlakson's farm late on a Friday afternoon to serve him with an order to stay away from his former wife.

They said Thorlakson took after them in his car, shooting a gun out the driver's side window, then set fire to the courthouse and jail in Cavalier, a town of about 1,500 people about eight miles from his farm. He shot and wounded Cavalier Police Chief Ken Wolf.

Authorities said about 70 law enforcement officials went to the scene, as well as a Border Patrol helicopter. They said Thorlakson switched from a car to a pickup and took back roads during the chase.

Thorlakson was injured during the gunfights with officers and was arrested at a hospital about 30 miles away, when he sought medical treatment about six hours after the incident began.

"You have committed some very serious and heinous crimes," the judge told Thorlakson on Friday. "You have a lot of time to think about this and, hopefully, take your rehabilitation seriously."

Askew said he discussed the sentence with victims in the incident. "There's general acceptance of it," he told the judge.

Deputy Brian Erovick was grazed by a bullet during the gunfight.

"I don't know if any of us are happy with seven years, but given the mental illness, it's probably appropriate," Erovick said of the sentence.

"I think about that day a lot," the deputy said. "I'll probably think about it for the rest of my life."