The U.S. Attorney’s Office said on Thursday that a 43-year-old Colorado man has entered a guilty plea for using a laser pointer to target a Denver police aircraft earlier this year.
According to officials, Kevin William Adamchak of Franktown entered a guilty plea to one count of directing a laser pointer at an aircraft for the incident that occurred on March 2, 2023. His sentencing is set for March 7, 2024.
Adamchak allegedly pointed a blue laser toward the Denver Police Department’s “Air 1” helicopter during an airborne surveillance operation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
A Franktown man who flashed a laser pointer at a Denver police helicopter in March has pleaded guilty, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced Thursday:
A Franktown man who flashed a laser pointer at a Denver police helicopter in March has pleaded guilty, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced Thursday. https://t.co/Dpb6lYMUgj
— Denver7 News (@DenverChannel) December 15, 2023
Police discovered the laser was pointed from a parking lot near East 55th Avenue and Logan Court in Denver by using thermal imaging and a camera.
According to officials, the suspect—later identified as Adamchak—was found by the chopper crew.
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According to a news release, United States Attorney Cole Finegan stated:
“What some may think is just a prank—pointing a laser pointer at an aircraft—actually presents a deadly risk to people in the aircraft and on the ground,” “We hope that this case will raise public awareness of these serious dangers.”
The Air 1 pilot stated in a news release announcing the guilty plea that the laser “caused flash blindness and intense pain in both of his eyes.”
Luckily, the pilot was still able to keep the chopper under control.
FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek stated in a news release that “a laser strike on an aircraft is not a game.” “It’s a serious action with possibly lethal consequences. The FBI will continue to vigorously investigate these incidents.”