A West Los Angeles man who authorities say targeted planes and helicopters with a laser while posing as a public-safety insider has taken a plea deal that keeps him out of state prison for now.
Steve Farzam, 47, pleaded no contest Monday to a slate of felony charges tied to laser strikes on commercial aircraft and law-enforcement helicopters, along with a pattern of alleged impersonation of emergency personnel. He was placed on three years of formal probation, while a significantly longer state-prison sentence was suspended. Authorities say the laser incidents involved both commercial airliners and law-enforcement helicopters, creating a serious hazard for pilots and crews.
According to MyNewsLA, Farzam pleaded no contest to 13 felony counts, including three counts of discharging a laser at an occupied aircraft, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, six counts of perjury, one count of impersonating a peace officer, and one count of carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle. Prosecutors said a state prison sentence of 12 years and four months was suspended under the plea. The District Attorney's Office also said the court imposed tight conditions meant to limit Farzam's access to the sort of equipment that drew investigators' attention in the first place.
Raid And Seized Emergency Gear
Farzam was arrested in July 2025 after Los Angeles Police Department detectives, joined by federal and state partners, executed search warrants at multiple Westside properties and seized items including two utility vehicles, emergency light packages, radios, first-responder identifications, and a full-size fire engine allegedly linked to a fictitious "Santa Muerte Fire Department." Local coverage at the time described the breadth of the haul and the scope of the probe, as reported by FOX 11 and FireRescue1.
Why Lasers Are So Risky For Pilots
Investigators say the case grew out of reports early in 2025 that commercial jets and law-enforcement helicopters flying over West Los Angeles had been struck by laser beams, activity that can temporarily blind or distract pilots at critical moments in flight. Under California law, discharging a laser at an occupied aircraft is covered by Penal Code 247.5 and can carry felony penalties in serious cases. See Penal Code 247.5 for statute and penalty information.
Probation Terms And Tight Restrictions
As part of his probation, Farzam is barred from possessing or using any laser device, stand-alone police scanners or law-enforcement radios, and from owning or wearing police, fire, EMT or other first-responder uniforms, badges or insignia. The court order also requires counseling. Those conditions were outlined by prosecutors, according to MyNewsLA.
A Long-Running Impersonation Habit
Farzam's current case tracks with a longer history. Reporting over the last decade has documented repeated episodes in which he adopted the trappings of law enforcement and emergency responders, sometimes storing replica badges and emergency vehicles on his property. A 2017 investigative profile in The Atavist traced that history and earlier legal fallout.
The no-contest plea resolves the current criminal counts with probation in place, but the suspended state-prison term remains on the record and could be imposed if he violates those conditions. The case has renewed attention on laser incidents and the risk they pose to aviation and first responders across the region.
