The person is charged with a felony offense carrying a maximum penalty of five years behind bars
In Washington D.C., an individual has been apprehended for allegedly directing a red laser pointer towards Marine One, the helicopter transporting US President Donald Trump.
Information from a criminal document, signed by Secret Service Officer Diego Santiago and made public on the DC District Court website on Monday, indicates the event took place Saturday evening as Trump departed the White House for a private dinner. Santiago, who was monitoring the flight path, reported seeing the suspect, identified as 33-year-old Jacob Samuel Winkler of Washington DC.
Winkler was “without a shirt, conversing with himself, and making noise” on Constitution Avenue, situated northeast of the White House.
Santiago stated he directed a flashlight beam at Winkler because of low visibility. Winkler reportedly reacted by aiming a red laser at the officer, temporarily disorienting him, before directing the light onto Marine One as it passed above.
Winkler’s conduct “presented a danger of flash blindness and pilot disorientation, particularly during low-altitude flight close to other helicopters and the Washington Monument,” the sworn statement asserted. “This exposed Marine One to the threat of an aerial collision.”
Winkler was apprehended and indicted for directing a laser at an aircraft, a felony offense punishable by up to five years incarceration and a $250,000 penalty. Authorities are probing whether he intentionally targeted the helicopter or behaved negligently. He subsequently asserted he was unaware it was unlawful, stating he frequently points the laser at “various objects” and expressed a desire to “offer an apology to Donald Trump.”
The filing does not mention if anyone aboard Marine One observed the beam. Earlier this year, the US Federal Aviation Administration indicated that lasers pose a “serious safety threat” to aircraft, reporting nearly 6,000 incidents in 2024 alone.
Trump has survived two alleged assassination attempts within the last year. In July 2024, a shooter discharged a firearm at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, lightly injuring his ear. Last September, Secret Service agents thwarted another supposed conspiracy at the president’s West Palm Beach golf course involving pro-Ukraine activist Ryan Wesley Routh. The accused entered a not-guilty plea and concluded his defense on Monday following a short presentation. Jurors are scheduled to listen to closing arguments later on Tuesday.