Shreveport Woman Pleads Guilty to Pointing Laser at Helicopter

United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the entry of a guilty plea today by April Nicole Poitras, 45, of Shreveport, Louisiana. Poitras appeared before United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. and entered her guilty plea to two counts of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft.

According to information presented in court, on August 15, 2023, a Cessna 172L flying at approximately 3,500 feet over Caddo Parish, Louisiana was illuminated by a green laser from the ground. Law enforcement officers responded to the area by vehicle and by helicopter. While responding to the scene, the police helicopter, an Airbus H125, was also illuminated by a green laser from the ground.

With the assistance of the police helicopter, a deputy with the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office went to the location where the laser originated and found Poitras standing in a yard, holding a laser pointer. Poitras admitted to knowingly aiming the laser pointer at both aircraft and their flight paths.

She purchased the laser pointer and admitted to aiming at several aircraft that night. Poitras faces a sentence of up to 5 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, Blanchard Police Department and Baltimore Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth D. Reeg.