Man Sentenced for Aiming Laser Pointer at Aircraft

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia has sentenced Jonathan Wolverton to three months’ probation and a $100 special assessment. 

On January 12, 2021, Wolverton pleaded guilty to knowingly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft and at the flight path of the same aircraft.

The investigation revealed that on June 25, 2020, Wolverton attended a demonstration in Richmond, Virginia, hid in the crowd, and used a laser pointer to illuminate law enforcement aircraft flying overhead. Wolverton struck the aircraft with the laser multiple times, causing the pilots to experience temporary blindness.

The Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG) conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI, the Richmond Police Department, and the Henrico County Police Division.

Read the announcement at DOT-OIG

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