Show-Me State Times

A jury in St. Louis has found Joshua J. Johnson guilty of a felony for aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, temporarily blinding Metro Air Support pilots. The decision was reached after roughly 20 minutes of deliberation by jurors in the U.S. District Court.

The incident occurred on August 9, 2024, when Johnson targeted a Metro Air Support helicopter with a blue laser as it flew over the Benton Park neighborhood in support of other officers. Pilots from both the St. Louis County Police Department and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were affected by the laser light.

As the light diminished, officers traced the beam to Johnson's vehicle and tracked it until ground officers stopped and arrested him. Initially denying his actions, Johnson later admitted to pointing the laser both during police questioning and in jail calls.

Laser pointers vary in power, with stronger models capable of causing permanent blindness to air crews. In 2024 alone, pilots reported 12,840 laser strikes to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which can impose civil penalties up to $11,000 for such offenses.

Johnson's sentencing is set for October 30 and he faces up to five years in prison for his crime.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI along with local law enforcement agencies including the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and Metro Air Support Unit. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mohsen Pasha and Derek Wiseman.