Deep-sea treasure hunter jailed for 10 years for refusing to disclose location of gold coins finally scores legal win

A former deep-sea treasure hunter who has served nearly a decade in jail for refusing to disclose the whereabouts of missing gold coins has had that term ended by a federal judge in Ohio, but he will remain behind bars for now.

U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley agreed Friday to end Tommy Thompson's sentence on the civil contempt charge, saying he "no longer is convinced that further incarceration is likely to coerce compliance." However, he also ordered that the research scientist immediately start serving a two-year sentence he received for a related criminal contempt charge, a term that was delayed when the civil contempt term was imposed.

Thompson has been held in contempt of court since Dec. 15, 2015, and also incurred a daily fine of $1,000. In his ruling, Marbley assessed Thompson's total civil contempt fine at $3,335,000.