Man Charged for Aiming Laser at Chicago Helicopter
Federal prosecutors charged Allen Florence Jr. after he allegedly aimed a green laser at a Cook County Sheriff's helicopter on September 15.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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Federal prosecutors charged Allen Florence Jr., 60, with aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft after he allegedly repeatedly pointed a green laser at a Cook County Sheriff's Police helicopter on the West Side on September 15. Florence was apprehended by Chicago police and released hours later with a court date on a state misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge.
Why it matters
Federal prosecutors warn that laser beams can temporarily blind or disorient pilots and potentially cause a fatal crash. The case follows a separate federal charge against Ignacin Ramos for aiming a laser at a CPD helicopter in August, reflecting an FBI "zero tolerance" policy toward such incidents in the Chicago area.
Florence faces one federal count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft and was released after receiving a court date on a state disorderly conduct misdemeanor. Ramos's state charges were dropped after federal prosecutors secured a grand jury indictment, and the outcome of Florence's federal case has not been reported.
The players
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
The FBI is the principal federal law enforcement agency of the United States, and its Chicago Field Office has declared a zero tolerance enforcement policy for people who point lasers at aircraft.
The details
Crew members aboard the helicopter used its mapping and night-vision camera systems to trace the green laser to a man on a second-floor rear deck in the 4200 block of West Dickens Avenue during the Ramos incident. Officers found Ramos on the deck, and he pulled the laser pointer from his waistband when asked where it was.
Timeline
August 11: A laser was pointed at a CPD helicopter over Hermosa, and Ramos was arrested.
September 15: Florence allegedly repeatedly pointed a green laser at a Cook County Sheriff's Police helicopter on the West Side.
Legal Context
Federal law makes aiming a laser at an aircraft a crime carrying up to $250,000 in fines and five years in prison, with the FAA also able to assess civil penalties of up to $11,000 per laser strike. The Chicago cases show federal prosecutors using that statute directly, even when state prosecutors had first filed lesser misdemeanor charges.
Residents near helicopter flight paths over the West Side, Northwest Side, and Hermosa may see continued police air patrols, and the FBI's zero tolerance policy means pointing a laser at an aircraft can bring federal charges. Anyone who sees a laser aimed at an aircraft should report it to police immediately.
The takeaway
Laser incidents near aircraft carry serious federal penalties even when initial local charges are minor. Anyone tempted to point a laser at an aircraft should understand that federal prosecutors are treating these cases as serious offenses.
Further reading
For more on how police respond to incidents like this, see Law Enforcement coverage on Wisevoter.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CWB Chicago.
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