Colorado man guilty of pointing laser at Fresno Co. Sheriff’s helicopter 

A Colorado man pleaded guilty on Monday to aiming a laser pointer at a Fresno County Sheriff’s Office helicopter.

The big picture:On May 28, 2024, Martin Joseph Avila, 66, aimed a dangerously bright laser pointer at a sheriff’s office helicopter while it was on routine patrol. • The laser pointer’s total output of power of laser light was 92.8 milliwatts, which is more than 18 times more powerful than what is legally permissible for a laser pointer. • Avila is from Longmont, Colorado.

What we’re watching: Avila is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 12, 2026. • He faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

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