Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Pointing Laser at Delta Flight
Joseph L. Crapsi, 31, of Cheektowaga, New York, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after aiming a green laser pointer at a Delta Air Lines flight as it approached Buffalo Niagara International Airport in 2024, temporarily blinding the pilot during a critical phase of flight.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York, Crapsi aimed the laser at Delta Flight 2334 on the night of March 2, 2024, as the aircraft made its final approach to land. One of the pilots reported that the beam struck the cockpit for between 60 and 90 seconds, saying afterward that he felt "something horrible would happen." U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo handed down the sentence Friday, following Crapsi's guilty plea in December 2025.
How Investigators Identified Him
Crapsi lives beneath the airport's flight path. After the pilot reported the strike, police searching the surrounding area learned from a neighbor that a laser had reportedly been seen shining from Crapsi's window on multiple prior occasions. Officers went to his home, were invited inside and observed a laser pointer in plain view in his bedroom, which was seized as evidence. His attorneys had sought to have that evidence suppressed and challenged whether police had probable cause to arrest him, but the court ruled the arrest and search were lawful.
The case was investigated jointly by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police Department, the Cheektowaga Police Department and the FBI, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles M. Kruly and Craig R. Gestring.
Why Laser Strikes Are Treated as Serious Federal Crimes
Pointing a laser at an aircraft has been a federal crime since 2012 and carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, along with separate FAA civil penalties of up to $11,000 per violation. Green lasers, like the one used in this case, are considered especially dangerous because the human eye perceives green light as brighter than other colors, and the beam can refract off a cockpit windshield in ways that cause glare, temporary blindness or, in severe cases, permanent eye damage.
Captain Harmon, the Delta pilot involved in the incident, appeared at Crapsi's sentencing to speak about the dangers of laser strikes and said he relied on his own prior knowledge, rather than any formal Delta training, to instruct his co-pilot to look away from the beam.
Context Raised at Sentencing
Crapsi's attorney described him during proceedings as profoundly autistic with a fascination with light and fire, and noted he is deaf. Prosecutors also noted Crapsi has an extensive criminal history, including prior charges for attempted solicitation of a minor, assault and trespassing. The court ultimately determined the offense constituted a serious federal crime with the potential to endanger the aircraft, its crew and its passengers.
A Persistent Problem Nationwide
Laser strikes against aircraft remain common across the country. The FAA reported a record 13,304 incidents in 2023, followed by roughly 12,840 in 2024 and just under 11,000 in 2025, with more than 3,300 reported through the first half of this year. California has reported the highest number of incidents nationally. The FAA notes that laser strikes occur most frequently on Fridays and Saturdays, with reports rising during October and November.
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