“Bored” California man sentenced to nearly two years for laser strike

Mike Wise

Mike Wise

#NewSchool
I bet he won't be bored anymore.

Source: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...ntenced-to-nearly-two-years-for-laser-strike/

On Monday, a federal court in Central California sentenced a 26-year-old to one year and nine months in prison for firing two different laser pointers at a Kern County Sheriff’s Office helicopter over a six month period in 2013.

The man, Brett Lee Scott of Buttonwillow, took a plea deal with federal prosecutors according to a May 5, 2014 court filing. Scott explained his actions by saying that he was “bored.”

It may seem like a silly thing, but laser strikes against planes, helicopters, and other aerial vehicles have become an increasing epidemic nationwide. Since the FBI began keeping track in 2005, there have been more than 17,000 laser strikes—one-fifth (3,960) in 2013 alone. During the first three months of 2014, the FBI reported an average of 9.5 incidents daily.

While no serious injuries or deaths have occurred, pilots say that being struck by a laser can be a terrifying experience that may cause temporary blindness.
The same prosecutors in the Eastern District of California got a sentence of 14 years earlier this year in another laser case, believed to be the harshest such sentence for a laser strike case anywhere in the nation and perhaps the world.

The Scott case marks the ninth such sentence coming from the Eastern District of California centered in Fresno County since 2007. Combined with an additional 20 state convictions from this region, this federal district alone constitutes approximately 35 percent of the only 80 total laser strike convictions nationwide—state and federal—since the FBI began keeping track a decade ago.

“This is a truly senseless crime—and a very serious one,” said Benjamin Wagner, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California. “Defendants like Mr. Scott, who thoughtlessly point lasers at an aircraft for their short-sighted amusement, put lives at risk and create the very real possibility that a needless tragedy will occur. My office will continue to prosecute these cases vigorously and will work with the FBI and our local law enforcement partners to send the message that this behavior will not be tolerated.”

In June 2014, the FBI expanded its new $10,000 reward program to the entire United States, including Guam and Puerto Rico. Anyone providing the FBI with information that leads to the arrest of someone who perpetrates a laser strike could receive thousands of dollars.
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fholbert said:
Heck, he lives in Bottonwillow, no wonder he's bored. Just a pee stop for most I-5 motorists between SFO and LA.
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I don't think a lot of people realize that large swathes of California can be simply rank! There are probably two Delanos for every Rancho Palos Verdes.
 
I really want to go hunting for these idiots. We have quite a few around LAS. I hear the feds will pay $10k for a lead that leads to an arrest. Sounds like a great part time gig if its true.
 
SeanD said:
I really want to go hunting for these idiots. We have quite a few around LAS. I hear the feds will pay $10k for a lead that leads to an arrest. Sounds like a great part time gig if its true.
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http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/201...asers-trial-program-being-expanded-nationwide

Protecting Aircraft from Lasers
Trial Program Being Expanded Nationwide
06/03/14

After a successful trial program aimed at deterring people from pointing lasers at aircraft—by rewarding those who provide information about individuals who engage in this dangerous crime and aggressively prosecuting the perpetrators—the FBI is expanding the campaign nationwide.

“Aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft is a serious matter and a violation of federal law, said Joe Campbell, assistant director of our Criminal Investigative Division. “The public awareness campaign we launched in February has been effective in reducing the number of incidents, and our hope in expanding the program is that people will think twice about illegally using these devices.”

A key part of the publicity campaign is reward money. The FBI will offer up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of any individual who intentionally aims a laser at an aircraft.

“We want to encourage people to come forward when they see someone committing this crime, which could have terrible consequences for pilots and their passengers,” said George Johnson, a federal air marshal who serves as a liaison officer with the Bureau on laser issues.



The original initiative, which began nearly four months ago, took place in 12 FBI field offices where “lasing” incidents are prevalent. Since then, there has been a 19 percent decrease in the number of reported incidents in the major metropolitan areas of those offices.

Now, the Bureau—along with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Air Line Pilots Association, International—are extending the program to all 50 states, Guam, and Puerto Rico. We are also working with state, local, and international law enforcement on the campaign, and we are conducting outreach to schools to educate teens about the dangers associated with lasing.

When aimed at an aircraft, the powerful beam of light from a handheld laser can travel more than a mile and illuminate a cockpit, disorienting and temporarily blinding pilots. Those who have experienced such attacks have described them as the equivalent of a camera flash going off in a pitch black car at night. As of December 2013, the FAA had documented at least 35 incidents where pilots required medical attention after a laser strike.

Interfering with the operation of an aircraft has long been a federal crime, but in 2012, a new law made it a felony to knowingly point the beam of a laser at an aircraft. The new law lowered the threshold for prosecution, Johnson said, “and the trend is on the rise for jail time in these cases.”

In March, for example, a 26-year-old California man was sentenced to 14 years in prison for aiming a laser pointer at a police helicopter and a hospital emergency transport helicopter. The man and his girlfriend were using a device that was 13 times more powerful than the permissible power emission level for handheld lasers. The girlfriend was also convicted and recently sentenced to a two-year prison term.


Since the FBI and the FAA began tracking laser strikes in 2005, there has been more than a 1,100 percent increase in the number of incidents with these devices, which can be purchased in stores or online for as little as a few dollars. Last year, 3,960 laser strikes against aircraft were reported. It is estimated that thousands of attacks go unreported every year.

If you have information about a lasing incident or see someone pointing a laser at an aircraft, call your local FBI office or dial 911.
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I'll grab the airplane, you grab the sodas.
 
Mike Wise said:
http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/201...asers-trial-program-being-expanded-nationwide

Protecting Aircraft from Lasers
Trial Program Being Expanded Nationwide
06/03/14



I'll grab the airplane, you grab the sodas.
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LAS has an observation area right next to 25L which is the main landing runway but I don't think they would be that stupid since there are always people parked there. However, there are a lot of shopping center parking lots along the approach path off Sunset Rd where I suspect many of these idiots would likely frequent.
 
SeanD said:
I really want to go hunting for these idiots. We have quite a few around LAS. I hear the feds will pay $10k for a lead that leads to an arrest. Sounds like a great part time gig if its true.
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You need something slow and noisy...
 
What's really interesting to me was that he took a plea deal. Which means that he could have faced an even tougher charge if he'd fought the case and lost.
 
killbilly said:
What's really interesting to me was that he took a plea deal. Which means that he could have faced an even tougher charge if he'd fought the case and lost.
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Yes - I was also wondering about the max sentence & fine. Must've been pretty hefty for him to accept 21 month in the slammer.
 
tomokc said:
Yes - I was also wondering about the max sentence & fine. Must've been pretty hefty for him to accept 21 month in the slammer.
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That's about 18 years less than the maximum sentence. You can get a 20 year sentence for interfering with the operation of an aircraft.

As noted in the article, someone else got 14 years. He was a gang member though and had a long list of prior convictions.
 
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