(Newser) – The artist behind the iconic blue-and-red Obama "HOPE" poster won't be going to jail. Instead, Shepard Fairey will do community service after being convicted of manipulating evidence in a copyright case dealing with the origin of the famous poster. In addition to his 300 hours of service, the 42-year-old Fairey got a $25,000 fine and two years of probation, reports AP.

In 2009, Fairey sued the Associated Press when it demanded he share proceeds from the Obama poster because it was modeled after a photo taken by an AP photographer. As the legal battle continued, Fairey confessed to lying about which photo he imitated and also submitting false evidence. In court today, he called the deception the "worst thing I've done in my life" and said he was "deeply ashamed." The judge cited his extensive charity work in the decision to keep Fairey out of jail. (Read more Shepard Fairey stories.)

