Phila. man sentenced for pointing laser at chopper

A former Edison High School student with no previous criminal record has been ordered to spend a year and a half in federal prison for pointing a green laser light into the cockpit of a city police helicopter in October 2008.

It was unclear whether Lenny Tavarez, 22, of Philadelphia, knew that it was a police helicopter or that the laser could cause a crash. Police Lt. Anthony Ginaldi said he was temporarily blinded and lost control of the aircraft until colleague Chris Clemens took control as they flew over a city neighborhood. Tavarez has been ordered to report to federal custody in two weeks. - AP