Federal prosecutors say a Buckeye man who turned his backyard into a laser show for military jets is heading to prison. William Wilson, 56, was sentenced to ten months in federal prison after admitting he aimed laser pointers at U.S. Air Force F‑35 fighters training near Luke Air Force Base. The judge handed down the sentence on June 15, and prosecutors say the laser strikes took place between September 2024 and January 2025. An FBI surveillance aircraft recorded laser beams coming from Wilson’s property, and agents later seized a red and a green laser during a search of his home. Authorities say pilots reported being hit by the beams and that Wilson admitted he had pointed lasers at aircraft multiple times.
How investigators say they tracked the beams
According to a June 25 press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, an FBI surveillance plane recorded video on the night of Jan. 8, 2025, showing laser strikes coming from Wilson’s backyard. Prosecutors say the pilots of the FBI aircraft and two F‑35s were struck. When agents served a search warrant at Wilson’s residence, they found two laser devices that officials say matched what was seen on the surveillance footage. The same release lists the case number as CR‑25‑00391‑PHX‑SPL and identifies the prosecutors assigned to the case.
What he told investigators
Local coverage reports that Wilson told investigators he believed the jets were "spy planes" and that he had aimed lasers at military aircraft more than once because he felt the flights passed too close to his home. Arizona's Family reports that Wilson also said he tried not to target commercial planes because he knew lasers could cause vision problems for pilots.
Plea and charges
Wilson was indicted in July 2025 on four counts of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, according to local prosecutors. He later pleaded guilty to two of those counts. He ultimately received a ten month federal sentence, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
Federal law and penalties
Pointing a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 39A. The statute, as published on GovInfo, allows for criminal penalties that can include prison time and significant fines for anyone who knowingly aims a laser pointer at an aircraft.
Why it matters locally
This case lands in the middle of what aviation officials say is a persistent safety problem. Pilots across the country reported nearly 11,000 laser strikes in 2025, with Arizona accounting for 574 of those incidents, according to federal data from the FAA. Officials say each strike has the potential to disorient or temporarily blind a pilot during critical moments like takeoff and landing, which can endanger everyone on board as well as people on the ground. The FAA urges the public to report laser strikes to help investigators track down offenders.
Case docket and investigators
The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abbie Broughton. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona says the FBI’s Phoenix Division assisted the Air Force Office of Special Investigations in the case. Prosecutors say they intend to continue pursuing federal charges in incidents where lasers are aimed at aircraft and aircrews.
