Fresno, CA (USDOJ) — Jeremy Scott Danielson, 35, of Clovis, was sentenced today to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for striking a California Highway Patrol plane with a powerful green laser beam, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Danielson tracked and struck a CHP plane, Air 43, 18 to 20 times with a powerful green laser pointer. Clovis police officers were dispatched to the source of the laser beam and found Danielson with a laser pointer in the pocket of his pants. As a result of the laser strikes, the pilot and tactical flight officer, who were conducting routine patrol, suffered flash blindness and watery, irritated eyes. The laser pointer was the size of a flashlight and had a danger warning printed on it. The particular brand of laser pointer that Danielson used purports to emit 200 milliwatts of power at a range of over 6,000 feet, which is 40 times the legally permissible limit for handheld laser devices. It is also capable of lighting a fire. Danielson pleaded guilty to the charge on March 7, 2016.
In sentencing Danielson, U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill stated: “I keep thinking this offense was committed by a 12-year-old. But it was not.” He also said, “You could have brought the CHP plane down by blinding the pilot. You jeopardized their eyes and their safety.”
From 2011 to 2015, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has received over 23,000 reports of laser illumination incidents involving aircraft. The Eastern District of California, which encompasses 34 counties in the eastern portion of California, has a particularly high rate of reported laser incidents. Lasers pose a serious threat to aviation safety because they can completely incapacitate pilots who are trying to fly safely to their destination, endangering their crew members, passengers and people on the ground.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the CHP, and the Clovis and Fresno Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.
