Man gets year in prison for aiming pointer at helicopter

Author: the associated press
Published: Updated:
MGN

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – A man has been sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for aiming a laser pointer at a Tampa police helicopter.

A judge sentenced 31-year-old Jeremy Wayne Sumpter on Tuesday. He pleaded guilty in March to one count of aiming a laser at an aircraft.

Authorities say the helicopter crew was on routine patrol in February 2014 when they saw the laser dot on their aircraft four times. The officers spotted the source of the light and watched a man run inside a home.

The helicopter crew directed officers on the ground to the home, where they found Sumpter. During an interview, police say Sumpter admitted to destroying the pointer when he realized police had located his home.

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