A Washington, D.C. man is facing serious charges after allegedly pointing a laser at Marine One while President Donald Trump was departing the White House over the weekend.
Authorities say 33-year-old Jacob Samuel Winkler was standing on the sidewalk near the White House Saturday night when a Secret Service officer noticed him talking loudly to himself. When the officer tried to get his attention with a flashlight, Winkler reportedly fired a red laser beam into the officer’s face.
Things escalated when Marine One flew overhead, carrying Trump to Mount Vernon. Winkler allegedly aimed the same laser at the helicopter, according to an affidavit filed by the officer.
After being taken into custody, Winkler repeatedly said, “I should apologize to Donald Trump” and “I apologize to Donald Trump,” the affidavit noted.
He has been charged with aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft, a felony that carries up to five years in prison. Investigators also say a small knife was found on him at the time of his arrest.
Prosecutors stressed the seriousness of the act. “This behavior endangers Marine One and everyone on board,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said. “If you engage in this act, you will be identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to Winkler, he often uses the laser on objects like stop signs and claimed he didn’t realize it was illegal to direct it at Marine One.
It’s unclear if anyone aboard the helicopter noticed the laser. Trump had been headed to Mount Vernon to deliver a speech at the American Cornerstone Institute.
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Prosecute…………………up to NO GOOD. claiming he did not know??? maybe that it was a felony…………but knew what he was doing was wrong and dangerous! PROSCECUTE