Crime & Safety
Pinson Man Accused Of Aiming Laser Pointer At Helicopter
A Pinson man was charged in federal court after being accused of aiming a laser pointer at a Jefferson County Sheriff's Office helicopter.
BIRMINGHAM, AL — A Pinson Man faces federal charges after being accused of aiming a laser pointer at a Jefferson County Sheriff's Office helicopter in April of 2020. Gabriel Lopez Mathews, 26, was indicted in federal court Tuesday.
A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Mathews with aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft. According to the indictment, on April 11, 2020, Mathews aimed the beam of a laser pointer at a helicopter operated by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
The maximum penalty for aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft is five years in prison.
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, along with the Jefferson County Sherriff’s Office and the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Baty is prosecuting the case.
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