Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Aiming Laser at Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Helicopter

ALBUQUERQUE - An Albuquerque man was sentenced to four months in prison followed by two years of federal supervision for aiming a laser pointer at a Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office helicopter and striking the cockpit over a dozen times.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to public court documents, on October 7, 2025, Jorge Pinon Armendariz, 48, aimed a green laser pointer at the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office Metro 1 helicopter while it was flying over Albuquerque. Armendariz aimed the laser at the helicopter from two separate locations, striking the cockpit more than a dozen times and hitting the pilot in the eyes.

Using the aircraft's onboard camera, the crew tracked the laser beam first to a vehicle in the McDonald's drive-thru at Candelaria and Eubank and then to a nearby residence. Armendariz continued aiming the laser at the helicopter even as the aircraft approached his location, endangering the helicopter crew and the public.

When ground deputies arrived, they observed a man and woman outside. The man, later identified as Armendariz, went inside and then fled. Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office deputies subsequently identified Armendariz as the individual who repeatedly struck Metro 1 with the laser beam that night.

The pilot reported momentary flash blindness, eye irritation, and blind spots lasting 10 to 15 minutes after being struck in the eyes by the laser. The pilot also experienced migraine headaches for 30 to 36 hours afterward, along with continued eye irritation and light sensitivity.

At the time of the incident, Armendariz had an active state warrant for violating conditions of pretrial release in a state case allegedly involving receiving or transferring a stolen motor vehicle and possession of a controlled substance.

Armendariz pled guilty toaiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. Upon his release from prison, Armendariz is subject to two years of supervised release.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jena Ritchey is prosecuting the case.