CHEEKTOWAGA MAN SENTENCED TO 18 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR POINTING LASER AT PASSENGER AIRCRAFT

A Cheektowaga, New York, man has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after being convicted of pointing a laser at a commercial passenger aircraft during its approach to Buffalo Niagara International Airport, an offense federal authorities say endangered flight safety.

Joseph L. Crapsi, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo after being convicted of pointing a laser pointer at an aircraft, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.

According to court records, the incident occurred on March 2, 2024, when a Delta Air Lines flight was on final approach to Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Investigators determined that Crapsi, who lived beneath the airport’s flight path, intentionally directed the beam of a green laser pointer at the approaching aircraft.

Federal aviation officials have long warned that lasers aimed at aircraft present a serious threat to aviation safety. Even brief illumination of a cockpit can temporarily impair a pilot’s vision, create significant distractions during critical phases of flight such as takeoff and landing, and increase the risk of an aviation incident. Green lasers are particularly hazardous because the human eye is highly sensitive to green wavelengths, making the beam appear exceptionally bright over long distances.

Pointing a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime because of the danger it poses to flight crews, passengers, and people on the ground. Federal authorities continue to aggressively investigate these incidents, particularly when they involve commercial passenger aircraft operating in controlled airspace.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles M. Kruly and Craig R. Gestring.

The investigation was conducted by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Patterson; the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Allen B. Davis II.

The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York.

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