BUCKEYE MAN SENTENCED TO 10 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR LASER STRIKES TARGETING U.S. AIR FORCE F-35 FIGHTER JETS

PHOENIX, Ariz. — An Arizona man has been sentenced to 10 months in federal prison after admitting to repeatedly aiming laser pointers at U.S. Air Force F-35 fighter jets conducting training operations near Luke Air Force Base, creating a dangerous hazard for military aircrews and other aircraft operating in the area.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, William Wilson, 56, of Buckeye, was sentenced on June 15, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan after pleading guilty to two counts of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft.

Federal authorities said Wilson repeatedly targeted multiple U.S. Air Force F-35 fighter jets operating in the airspace surrounding Luke Air Force Base between September 2024 and January 2025.

According to court documents, the investigation intensified on the night of January 8, 2025, when an FBI surveillance aircraft observed laser beams originating from Wilson’s residence in Buckeye. Investigators reported that both the FBI aircraft and two F-35 fighter jets were struck by lasers during the incident.

Following the surveillance operation, federal agents executed a search warrant at Wilson’s residence, where investigators recovered two laser pointers—one red and one green.

Authorities said Wilson admitted during questioning that he had pointed lasers at aircraft on multiple occasions.

Laser strikes against aircraft are considered a serious aviation safety threat because high-powered laser beams can temporarily blind, distract, or disorient pilots during critical phases of flight. Even brief exposure can reduce a pilot’s night vision, create flash blindness, or cause glare that interferes with the safe operation of an aircraft.

Although commercial airliners are the most frequent targets of laser incidents reported each year, military aircraft conducting training exercises remain equally vulnerable. Fighter pilots often operate at high speeds and perform complex maneuvers that demand continuous visual awareness, making laser interference particularly hazardous.

On July 29, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Wilson on four counts of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. He later pleaded guilty to two of the four counts, resulting in the federal prison sentence imposed by the court.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Phoenix Division and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). Assistant United States Attorney Abbie Broughton prosecuted the case.

Federal authorities continue to warn that intentionally directing laser beams at any aircraft—including military, commercial, law enforcement, medical, or general aviation aircraft—is a federal crime that carries significant criminal penalties due to the substantial risk it poses to flight crews, passengers, and people on the ground.

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