No prison for Oregon man who falsely reported dad, brother as terrorists

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A suburban Portland man who falsely reported his father and brother as terrorists after being excluded from a family wedding has been sentenced to three years on probation.

Sonny Donnie Smith placed anonymous phone calls to security offices at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas and the Midland International Air and Space Port in Midland, Texas.

Smith’s father and brother were detained and questioned by investigators, and the brother missed his flight.

Smith pleaded guilty in February to anonymous telecommunications harassment. He apologized Thursday, and promised to work on his education and mental health.

U.S. District Judge Anna Brown handed down the sentence after prosecutor Hannah Horsley and defense attorney Todd Bofferding said Smith’s victims did not want to see him go to prison.