Shreveport, Louisiana - A 45-year-old Shreveport, Louisiana woman, April Nicole Poitras, pleaded guilty to aiming a laser pointer at two aircraft, putting the lives of pilots and passengers at risk. Poitras entered her guilty plea before United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. on two counts of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft.
According to court documents, on August 15, 2023, a Cessna 172L flying over Caddo Parish, Louisiana, was illuminated by a green laser from the ground. Law enforcement officers responded promptly, and while en route to the scene, the police helicopter, an Airbus H125, was also targeted by the same green laser. With the assistance of the police helicopter, a deputy from the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office located Poitras standing in a yard, holding the laser pointer.
Poitras admitted to knowingly aiming the laser pointer at both aircraft and their flight paths. She had purchased the laser pointer and confessed to targeting several aircraft that night. The reckless act could have resulted in a catastrophic incident, highlighting the importance of aviation safety.
Poitras faces a sentence of up to 5 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office, Blanchard Police Department, and Baltimore Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth D. Reeg.