Justice in the Skies: St. Louis Laser Strike Case Ends With Prison Time — and a Warning to America
By | NickThePilot.com
December 2025
A year after a reckless act endangered the lives of two law enforcement pilots and threatened the safety of an entire neighborhood, justice has finally landed in St. Louis. On December 3, 2025, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Joshua J. Johnson, 44, to 21 months in federal prison for aiming a powerful Class IV blue laser at a Metro Air Support helicopter during active police operations over the Benton Park neighborhood.
This was not a prank. This was not a moment of thoughtlessness. It was a deliberate attack on an aircraft, one that temporarily blinded both pilots — one from St. Louis County Police Department and one from St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department — while they were providing critical support to officers on the ground.
Johnson struck the aircraft twice, lighting up the cockpit with a high-powered beam capable of causing permanent eye damage. The pilots, relying on their training and skill, tracked the source of the beam in real time and helped officers on the ground intercept the vehicle. Johnson initially denied involvement before admitting — both on scene and later in recorded jail calls — that he was the one responsible
A Sentence That Sends a Message
Federal prosecutors did not mince words. At sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mohsen Pasha emphasized the danger:
“This is dangerous conduct. The strongest consumer model lasers can permanently blind air crews.”
The risk is real. A moment of blindness in the cockpit of a helicopter — often flying low, maneuvering over urban areas, and supporting officers in fluid situations — can be fatal. In 2024 alone, the FAA recorded nearly 13,000 laser strikes nationwide. Aviation professionals have been warning for years that it’s only a matter of time before one of these incidents turns deadly.
The court clearly understood the stakes. Judge Autrey’s 21-month sentence sends a needed message: this conduct will not be tolerated, and the punishment will reflect the seriousness of the threat.
For once, the justice system didn’t shrug this off — and that deserves recognition.
Applauding the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI
In an era when transparency from government can be hard to come by, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri and the FBI St. Louis Division stood out as examples of how public institutions should operate.
Not only did federal prosecutors take this case seriously from day one, they were also open, responsive, and candid with this publication throughout the process. Their professionalism made it possible to present this case accurately and in depth — and that level of transparency is something the public rarely sees.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker captured the reality every pilot understands:
“Pointing a laser at an aircraft can have catastrophic consequences… This is not a harmless prank.”
The FBI’s swift investigative work, coupled with the pilots’ rapid tracking of the suspect, left the jury with a clear and undeniable case. That efficiency deserves praise — and other jurisdictions should take note.Laser Strikes Are Not a Joke. They Are an Attack.
PThe aviation community has been sounding the alarm for years: laser strikes aren’t funny, harmless, or just “kids messing around.” They are a growing national threat.
A Class IV laser — the type used in this incident — is powerful enough to:
In a helicopter operating low over a densely populated city, these risks become deadly. Pilots are not just flying aircraft — they are helping officers track armed suspects, support foot pursuits, find missing children, and protect the public from the air. Disabling them even momentarily places countless lives at risk.
This case proves that when the justice system chooses to prioritize aviation safety, real deterrence follows.
Aviation Professionals Deserve Protection
The pilots involved in this incident demonstrated textbook professionalism, successfully locating the suspect while temporarily blinded and ensuring officers could safely make an arrest. Their actions prevented what could have been a far more dangerous outcome.
And to their credit, both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI St. Louis Division worked with integrity, professionalism, and transparency to ensure this story could be told accurately. Their cooperation with the press — and with this publication — stands in stark contrast to the bureaucratic silence too often seen in government agencies.
This case is an example of how the system should work:
Final Thoughts
Aviation is unforgiving. There is no room for flash blindness, cockpit distraction, or the arrogance of someone who believes their laser pointer is a toy.
This 21-month sentence is not excessive. It is not harsh. It is appropriate — and it may very well save lives.
The message is now clear:
If you point a laser at an aircraft, you will be caught, you will be prosecuted, and you may go to prison.
And that’s exactly how it should be