A man has been found guilty by a jury in St. Louis for targeting Metro Air Support pilots with a laser pointer, temporarily blinding them. The U.S. District Court jury took about 20 minutes to convict Joshua J. Johnson, 44, of knowingly aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, which is considered a felony.
The incident occurred on August 9, 2024, when Johnson used a blue laser to target a helicopter flying over the Benton Park neighborhood in support of other officers. Pilots from the St. Louis County Police Department and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were temporarily blinded by the blue light in the cockpit. Officers managed to track the laser beam to Johnson’s vehicle and arrested him after he admitted his actions.
Laser pointers can vary in power, with stronger models capable of permanently blinding air crews. Individuals who point lasers at aircraft may face civil penalties up to $11,000 as imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In 2024 alone, pilots reported 12,840 laser strikes to the FAA.
Johnson’s sentencing is scheduled for October 30 and he faces up to five years in prison for his crime.
The case was investigated by the FBI along with local police departments and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mohsen Pasha and Derek Wiseman.
