A Bakersfield man pleaded guilty Monday to aiming a laser pointer at a Kern County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, federal prosecutors said.

Brett Curtis Hair, 23, admitted to striking the aircraft with a green laser beam on Sept. 11, 2024, as the helicopter conducted a routine patrol shortly after midnight, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.

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Court records show that the cockpit of the helicopter, known as Air 1, was hit multiple times — at least 15 — with the beam tracking and striking the aircraft intentionally.

The Tactical Flight Officer aboard the helicopter was able to trace the laser to a home within the Federal Aviation Administration’s Critical Flight Zone near Meadow Field Airport in Bakersfield.

As the helicopter hovered over the property, Hair exited the garage and again aimed the laser directly at the cockpit, causing visual interference for both the pilot and flight officer.

Prosecutors said the repeated strikes made it difficult for the crew to see aircraft instruments.

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The FAA reported more than 12,800 laser strikes across the country in 2024. Officials warn that high-powered lasers can blind pilots and threaten the safety of aircraft.

Hair is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 4. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

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