BAY CITY, Mich. (AP) — A Bay City man has been sentenced to more than a year in federal prison for pointing a laser at a Michigan State Police helicopter.
A federal judge sentenced 33-year-old Todd F. Maher on Thursday to a year and a day in prison. After serving his term, Maher will face two years of supervised release.
The Bay City Times reports that Maher pleaded guilty in September to one count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. That charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Maher’s attorney, James F. Piazza, says his client “just did something stupid” but had no malicious intent when he aimed the laser at the helicopter in January 2016.
