A defiant man who faked his death by jumping into the Chesapeake Bay near Virginia Beach has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison. Hit the jump to read the rest of the story.
@WiL
Sixty-year-old Larry Deffenbaugh was convicted in May of conspiracy and communicating a false distress signal.
Deffenbaugh’s brother reported him missing from a fishing boat they had rented in 2009, two days before he was to be sentenced on a probation violation in Maryland. Coast Guard crews searched for Deffenbaugh for 15 hours. He was found in Texas last year using a different name.
Deffenbaugh maintained that he was innocent during sentencing Monday. He compared himself to a falsely accused Jesus during a lengthy speech.
He’s been ordered to pay more than $200,000 restitution to the Coast Guard.