Man Accused of Pointing Laser at Chopper Pleads Guilty

A 22-year-old Dallas man has pleaded guilty to aiming a green laser beam at a Dallas police helicopter.

The U.S. attorney's office in Dallas announced Thursday that Kenneth Santodomingo entered his plea Thursday before U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in Dallas. The charge of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft carries a penalty of up to 5 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 25.

Santodomingo was arrested Jan. 28 after the beam hit the helicopter pilot's vision several times. The pilots found where the light was coming from and directed officers on the ground to Santodomingo.

Authorities say Santodomingo told officers he wanted to see how far the laser pointer could reach.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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