Judge alters portion of sentence for Noe associate

7/13/2007

Timothy LaPointe, who pleaded guilty to tampering with records in connection with Ohio's failed $50 million rare-coin fund, had his community control sentence modified yesterday by a Lucas County Common Pleas Court judge.

Judge Charles Doneghy modified the sentence he imposed Jan. 8 from five years of community control to three years plus 200 hours of community service.

LaPointe also is to maintain employment.

LaPointe, who was the vice president of Tom Noe's rare-coin business and served as a star witness for prosecutors in Noe's trial last year, pleaded guilty last year to three counts of tampering with records.

He admitted to creating false coin-fund records to trick state auditors.

Judge Doneghy sentenced LaPointe in January to three years in state prison and then five years community control.

LaPointe was released from the Southeastern Correctional Institution in Lancaster, Ohio, in June after completing a 90-day sentence in an Intensive Program Prison, which is like a boot camp for offenders.