Bernalillo County man pleads guilty to laser attack on sheriff's helicopter

A green laser pointer trained on a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office helicopter turned a routine flight over Albuquerque into a federal aviation-safety case with prison time and a six-figure fine on the line. Federal prosecutors said the beam struck Metro 1 more than a dozen times, including multiple hits to the pilot’s eyes, while the helicopter was helping ground operations.

Jorge Pinon Armendariz, 48, pleaded guilty in federal court to aiming the laser at the sheriff’s helicopter on October 7, 2025. Prosecutors said the helicopter’s onboard camera helped the crew trace the beam first to a vehicle in a McDonald’s drive-thru and then to a nearby residence. When deputies responded to the home, Armendariz fled, but Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office deputies later identified him as the person who aimed the laser.

The case underscores the risk that a seemingly small act can create for everyone involved in a law-enforcement operation. A laser strike can blind or distract a pilot at the exact moment a helicopter is trying to track a suspect, coordinate with deputies on the ground, or navigate low over neighborhoods and roadways. The Federal Aviation Administration has warned that laser strikes can seriously impair or incapacitate pilots, and in this case the damage extended beyond the aircraft itself: Metro 1 was actively supporting police work over Albuquerque when it was hit.

Armendariz faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine under the federal charge, 18 U.S.C. § 39A, which makes it a crime to aim a laser pointer at an aircraft. Separate FAA penalties can also reach up to $11,000 per violation and $30,800 for multiple laser incidents, adding civil consequences to the criminal case.

Prosecutors said Armendariz had an active state warrant at the time for allegedly violating pretrial-release conditions in a separate case involving receiving or transferring a stolen motor vehicle and possession of a controlled substance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jena Ritchey is prosecuting the case, and the plea was announced by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and FBI Albuquerque Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris.

The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated the incident with assistance from Bernalillo County sheriff’s deputies. The federal action comes as New Mexico continues to rank near the top nationally for laser strikes: FAA reporting showed the state had 95 incidents in 2024 and the highest per-capita rate among U.S. states that year, with the second-highest per-capita rate in 2024 and 2025 behind Washington, D.C. FAA guidance encourages residents to report laser strikes to the agency and to local law enforcement before another flight crew is put at risk.