Man gets 6 months in prison for pointing laser at aircraft

A North Texas man has been sentenced to six months in federal prison after pleading guilty to aiming a laser at a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter.

The DPS aircraft traced the laser to Austin Lawrence Siferd. The 24-year-old Cleburne man was arrested after the crews of eight commercial airliners flying near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport reported having a laser pointed at them the night of July 19 and early the morning of July 20.

No crew members or passengers were hurt, but the Federal Aviation Administration said controllers changed the flight paths of the aircraft, which continued on to DFW airport, Dallas Love Field or Alliance Airport in Fort Worth.