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Cleburne Man Sentenced to Six Months for Aiming Laser Pointer at Helicopter
A 24-year-old Cleburne man has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for aiming a laser pointer at a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) helicopter in 2015.
Austin Lawrence Siferd, 24, of Cleburne, Texas, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey to six months in federal prison, announced John Parker, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Siferd pleaded guilty earlier this year to an indictment charging one count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft.
According to documents filed in the case, in July 2015, Siferd knowingly aimed the beam of a laser at the DPS helicopter. Siferd aimed the laser at the helicopter while the helicopter was flying overhead. DPS was responding to reports that several commercial airlines had been hit with a laser in the same area that evening.
The FBI, Texas DPS, and Johnson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the incident, which occurred in the summer of 2015. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Penley prosecuted the case.
Siferd’s six-month sentence is a reminder that aiming laser pointers at aircraft can have serious consequences. In addition to the risk of causing harm to pilots and passengers, aiming laser pointers at aircraft can also disrupt critical operations and put lives at risk.
As the number of laser pointer incidents continues to rise, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is sending a clear message: those who engage in this reckless behavior will be held accountable.
The investigation and prosecution of laser pointer cases are a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Texas. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who pose a threat to aviation safety.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to remind the public that aiming laser pointers at aircraft is a serious crime with serious consequences. If you have any information about laser pointer incidents, please contact the FBI or your local law enforcement agency.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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