Man gets sentenced for aiming laser at Metro helicopter
LAS VEGAS -- A Henderson man Tuesday received a two-year prison sentence for aiming a laser pointer at a Metro Police helicopter on six occasions earlier this year, Nevada's U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden said.
James David Zipf, 30, pleaded guilty in June to one count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Miranda Du and was permitted to self-report to prison by Dec. 30. He also must undergo mental health and substance abuse treatment.
Zipf admitted that just after midnight on Jan. 30, he aimed a blue laser four times at the helicopter from the second story window of a Green Valley house where he lived. Zipf also admitted that on the night of Feb. 3, he pointed the blue laser light two times at a police helicopter, causing one of the flight officers to experience a severe headache.
Zipf also was convicted of pointing a similar blue laser at a police helicopter in Phoenix in 2011.