A McComb, Ohio, man who lied to federal investigators about an incident in which a laser pointer was aimed at an aircraft was sentenced Monday to one month in prison followed by two years of probation.

Ronald E. Deal, Sr., 57, pleaded guilty earlier this year in U.S. District Court to making a false statement or representation to a department or agency of the United States.

He was sentenced by Judge James Carr.

Deal admitted that between Aug. 5 and Aug. 9, 2012, he told investigators he did not know anything about the laser-pointer incident in Hancock County on June 17, 2012, then later falsely took the blame for the incident.

First Published August 28, 2014, 4:24 a.m.