It took a St. Louis jury just 20 minutes on Wednesday to return a guilty verdict against Joshua J. Johnson, 44, who was charged with aiming a laser pointer at a Metro Air Support helicopter. As reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, the felony count Johnson was convicted of carries a possible sentence of up to five years in prison.
The incident occurred on the night of August 9, 2024, when Johnson targeted the helicopter with a blue laser, causing temporary blindness to the pilots. Flying over Benton Park, the pilots, part of a unit providing support to ground officers, regained their vision only to be struck by the laser again. They were able to trace the light back to a vehicle below, driven by Johnson, and direct ground officers to make the arrest.
While Johnson initially denied the allegations, he later conceded both in jailhouse calls and in court that he was behind the dangerous act. According to a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office, "After initially denying that he pointed the laser, he later admitted that he was responsible."
Laser strikes on aircraft are a serious and growing concern, with pilots reporting 12,840 such events to the Federal Aviation Administration in 2024 alone. The strongest lasers on the market are capable of causing permanent damage to pilots' eyesight, and pointing them at an aircraft is not only a criminal act but also subjects offenders to civil penalties up to $11,000.
Authorities, including the FBI, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police, and the Metro Air Support Unit, collaborated on the investigation, which led to Johnson's conviction. The prosecution has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mohsen Pasha and Derek Wiseman. Johnson is set for sentencing on October 30.
