Toledo Man Indicted for Pointing a Laser at a Flying Aircraft

TOLEDO, Ohio - A 41-year-old Lucas County man was indicted in federal court for flashing a laser pointer at an aircraft while in flight.

In January, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Branden Jay Lounsbury, of Toledo, with one count of Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft or its Flight Path. Lounsbury was arrested in Michigan on Feb. 10. According to a recently unsealed indictment, he allegedly aimed a laser pointer at an Ohio State Highway Patrol helicopter while on its flight path on June 2, 2025. Because the helicopter was flying in United States' airspace, this alleged action is a violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 39A(a). Pointing a laser at an aircraft while in flight can create a risk of permanent injury to the pilot's eyesight and can cause the aircraft to crash.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tracey Tangeman, following an investigation by the FBI Toledo Resident Agency, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the Toledo Police Department.

If convicted, Lounsbury faces up to five years in federal prison. The sentence will be determined by the court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant's prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violations.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.