A federal grand jury issued a formal indictment against a man for allegedly aiming a laser pointer beam at a Coast Guard helicopter, federal prosecutor Rosa Emilia Rodriguez Velez said in a press release.
According to the indictment, on June 12, 2018, Juan L. Pantoja De Jesús knowingly pointed out the beam of a laser to a Coast Guard helicopter, in violation of Title 18 of the United States Code, Section 39A.
If convicted, the defendant faces a prison sentence of up to 5 years in prison plus a hefty fine.
The case is being investigated by the Coast Guard Investigation Services (CGIS).
