CLEVELAND (AP) - An Ohio appeals court says a man convicted of masterminding a $100 million Navy veterans charity fraud won't have to spend every Veterans Day in solitary confinement as indicated in his prison sentence.
The man identifying himself as Bobby Thompson ran a Florida-based charity and was arrested in Portland, Oregon, in 2012.
He was convicted in 2013 of racketeering, theft, money laundering and 12 counts of identity theft. A Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH'-guh) County judge sentenced him to 28 years in prison, with solitary confinement each Veterans Day.
In a ruling Thursday, the 8th District Court of Appeals said the trial court had no authority under Ohio sentencing law to impose the solitary-confinement punishment.
Authorities say the man's real name is John Donald Cody.
A message was left Friday for his attorney.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
