A 21-year-old man was ordered on Sept. 7 to perform 60 days of community service with the California Department of Transportation as part of three years of supervised probation for pointing a green laser beam at law enforcement aircraft in the USC area last year.

Deputy District Attorney Theresa Mitchell said Alvaro Jimenez also was ordered not to have any contact with his co-defendant — 23-year-old Floyd Atkins. In addition, he must pay $240 in restitution fines and fees.

Jimenez and Atkins were arrested on July 4, 2011, after green laser beams were pointed at Los Angeles Police Department air units. There was a similar laser-pointing incident about a week before involving both LAPD and California Highway Patrol helicopters. As a result of the earlier incident, the air units were able to pinpoint a location for the July 4 laser beam activity.

Jiminez pleaded no contest to a felony count of discharging a laser at an aircraft. Atkins went to trial and was convicted by a jury of the same felony count in July.

Atkins is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 1. He faces a maximum three-year prison term to be served in county jail.