Michele Beckwith Acting U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California
Jesse Torres-Alonso, a 35-year-old resident of Bakersfield, has entered a guilty plea for aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.
Court documents reveal that on September 28, 2023, Torres targeted a Kern County Sheriff's Office helicopter, known as Air One, with a green laser beam on 12 occasions. These actions disrupted the pilot's vision and ability to safely navigate and monitor the helicopter's instruments. Authorities managed to confiscate the laser device, which was marked with a warning label indicating "DANGER" and cautioning against directing the light into eyes.
In the same year as this incident, the Federal Aviation Administration recorded 13,304 reports of laser strikes from pilots. This figure represents a 41% increase compared to the previous year's total of 9,457 reports and highlights an escalating safety concern.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in collaboration with the Kern County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is leading the prosecution.
Torres is set to be sentenced on May 20, 2025, by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. He could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. However, the final sentence will be determined by the court based on statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
