Washington: An American man, who produced the anti-Islamic film that had outraged the Muslim world, has been sentenced to a year in prison for violating his probation stemming from a 2010 bank fraud conviction by lying about his identity.
US District Court Judge sentenced Mark Basseley Youssef after he admitted to four of the eight alleged violations, including obtaining a fraudulent California driver`s license.
Prosecutors agreed to drop the other four allegations under an agreement with Youssef`s attorneys, which also included more probation.
According to Fox News, none of the violations had to do with the content of ‘Innocence of Muslims`, a film that depicts Mohammad as a religious fraud, paedophile and womaniser.
Assistant US Attorney Robert Dugdale, however, argued Youseff`s lies about his identity have caused harm to others, including the film`s cast and crew.
“They had no idea he was a recently released felon,” the report quoted Dugdale, as saying.
“Had they known that, they might have had second thoughts about being part of the film,” he added.
According to the report, Youssef`s attorney Steven Seiden said his client admits to being the film`s scriptwriter but had no other involvement except what he described as being a "cultural adviser”.
ANI
