Brenton Wells, Aiming Laser Pointer at Aircraft, Illinois 2018

A Rockford Man Pleads Guilty to Aiming Laser Pointer at Aircraft

A Rockford man has pleaded guilty to a serious crime after he aimed a laser pointer at an aircraft. Brenton Wells, 45, admitted to knowingly aiming his laser pointer at the aircraft on December 6, 2018.

According to reports, Wells was standing in the backyard of a residence in Rockford when he committed the crime. He continued to aim his laser pointer at the aircraft as it flew over the residence.

The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch, Jr. for the Northern District of Illinois; Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI, and Dan O’Shea, Rockford Chief of Police.

Wells faces a maximum potential penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence will be determined by the United States District Court, guided by the Sentencing Guidelines.

Sentencing is set for December 10, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Paccagnini.

Wells' guilty plea is a significant development in the case and highlights the serious consequences of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft.

The Northern District of Illinois has been working to combat this type of crime, and this guilty plea is a testament to their efforts.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/rockford-man-pleads-guilty-aiming-laser-pointer-aircraft