A Tulsa man has been sentenced to one year of probation for pointing a laser at a police helicopter.
The Tulsa World reports that U.S. District Judge John Dowdell sentenced Jay Scott Howell on Monday. Howell pleaded guilty in April to pointing a laser at a Tulsa Police Department helicopter 11 times on Dec. 29.
The 53-year-old says he requested probation because of his age, limited criminal history and remorse for his actions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Litchfield didn't object to the request.
Litchfield says it's legal to possess a laser, but that it's a federal offense to point one at an aircraft. He says lasers can be dangerous because pilots can be temporarily blinded when the light beams strike an aircraft.