A person within the security service Secret Service saw the 33-year-old man pointing a red laser beam from a location outside the White House and at the helicopter Marine One when it took off on Saturday. The accused is later said to have stated that he did not know that he was not allowed to point the laser at the helicopter.
The man was arrested on the spot. The crime he is accused of can result in up to five years in prison.
"This exposed Marine One to the risk of an airborne collision", it is stated in the legal documents submitted to the court.
According to the American aviation authority FAA, laser beams constitute a serious security threat.
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