A Las Vegas resident entered a guilty plea this week for endangering a police helicopter with a handheld laser. Court records disclose that on January 2, 2025, Sergio Octavio Sanchez was accused of pointing a laser at the aircraft, disrupting its operational path as it provided support to ground officers. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada released a statement detailing the incident and the charges against Sanchez.
Due to the laser attack launched by Sanchez, the pilot of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department helicopter had to abruptly change course. These beams, which can blind pilots and lead to dire flight safety consequences, have been on the rise, with the FAA reporting 10,993 laser strikes in the year 2025 alone. As it was forced to divert from its mission while responding to a call, the safety of the officers aboard was seriously jeopardized…