The U.S. Attorney's Office said a judge issued the sentence against 26-year-old Sergio Patrick Rodriguez, of Clovis, on Monday.
Rodriguez was accused of pointing a green laser 13 times more powerful than common pointers at a Fresno Police Department helicopter in 2012. The helicopter had been called to an apartment complex where an emergency helicopter for a children's hospital also reported being targeted by a laser.
Authorities say such laser strikes can blind pilots and lead to crashes.
A federal jury in Fresno found Rodriguez and his 23-year-old girlfriend, Jennifer Lorraine Coleman, guilty of charges in the case in December. Coleman is scheduled to be sentenced in May.
March 27, 2018The hospital is one place to offer youth who’ve been shot, stabbed or assaulted a way out of a dangerous situation. A new program at UC Davis aims to provide follow-up support for patients impacted by violence.
March 13, 2018Sacramento area crime could get worse if refugees are too afraid of law enforcement. That's the warning from the County District Attorney's Office. The agency has launched a new program to educate immigrants called Understanding Your Rights.
October 18, 2017During his time as mayor of Los Angeles and now in his campaign for California governor, Antonio Villaraigosa has repeatedly highlighted the city’s drop in violent crime. But there's some context he's leaving out.
May 8, 2017The Carmichael man accused of trying to kill his two children back in 2015 is set to be sentenced next month, after pleading guilty to the crimes on Thursday.
March 30, 2017The survivors of crime victims spoke out Thursday in Stockton, coming together to tell their stories and honor their loved ones.
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