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Squawks & Headlines ✈ Orlando Man Plead Guilty To Ponting Laser Beam At Departing Airplanes 23 Times At Orlando International

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Orlando Man Plead Guilty To Ponting Laser Beam At Departing Airplanes 23 Times At Orlando International

Submitted
49 year old Glenn Stephen Hansen has pleaded guilty to pointing a laser beam at airplanes departing Orlando International Airport, MCO, and now faces up to five years in prison. Prosecutors say Hansen aimed his laser pointer at departing aircraft... (www.thefloridanewsjournal.com) More...

Alejandro S
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Stephenb84
Stephen Boyle 6
Glenn Stephen Hansen, 49, told arresting FBI agents that he aimed a laser pointer as “stress relief” from “noise anxiety” due to aircraft flying overhead. He had filed over 500 complaints against the noise. He told the agents that airplanes “purposefully flew lower over his house in response to the noise complaints.” He was aware that shining the laser at aircraft was “wrong” but that he “had no idea” that the light could affect the pilots and cause a hazard. Old News article

The Realtor who sold him his place in 2010 must have been playing some good music the day he looked at the property he bought. What an Idiot, you buy a house at the end of a busy runway and then proceed to file 500+ noise complaints which is how he got busted.
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ptsmith24
Patrick Smith 1
I'm renting a place near MCO and only really hear northbound departures (which are less common than southbound). I love the noise and was well aware of it before moving here. I wonder how close he lives.
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slgordon3
slgordon3 8
49 years old, and this idiot gets off on pointing lasers at airliners? Sounds like a real winner.
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jpcooper
Peter Cooper 6
If his intention was to disable the pilot(s) why aren't the authorities looking at attempted murder charges ?
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slgordon3
slgordon3 1
That would make sense, right? I guess it just comes down to the practical issue that it's hard to prove what's in someone's head. Only 49 year old Glenn Stephen Hansen can really say what his intent was, and if the case had gone to trial he almost certainly would not have taken the stand in his own defense (thus he would not be subject to cross examination by the prosecutor). He took a plea bargain and consequently avoided all this.
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Leo66
Leo66 3
Shine that bloody thing in HIS eyes.
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Bfsh
Brad Franklin 3
talk about immature
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xmacfly
ALLEN McLEAN 3
Moves next to an airport then complains about the noise. Should give you an idea of what the authorities are dealing with.
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zcolescott
Zachary Colescott 2
Federal PMITA prison for this guy please >=o)
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dbrooks84
David Brooks 2
Throw the book at him. Give him five years in prison for being so stupid.
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OhanaUnited
Andrew Leung 1
Cant. He plead guilty and will receive one-third less on his original sentence.
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zone5ive
zone5ive 1
I think it's time an example was set. This is a particularly bad case. Not an accident, not some kids playing, but an adult who repeatedly and over time, did something he knew was wrong.
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johncook1
john cook 1
Something Fishy here, We are not getting the whole story.
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johncook1
john cook 1
Correction: I'm not getting the whole story where does it say anything about noise?
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jkudlick
Jeremy Kudlick 1
I thought it was supposed to be up to 5 years per count. This guy got off real easy. Granted, the AUSA probably has much higher profile cases to deal with...
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Stephenb84
Stephen Boyle 1
He lives about 3 to 5 miles south in Osceola County. I lived in East Orlando and alwas had hood views of final approach. I liked when the 747 would rip out if Sanford on south departure.
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pollockj
James Pollock 1
Domestic terrorist. Gitmo.
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MACGSO
MACGSO 1
I don't know for sure, but I'll bet beer was involved. I hope he gets "Big Bubba" as his cellmate...
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wbannan
William Bannan 1
Throw the book at him!!
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crk112
crk112 1
Seems doubtful that an airliner would take "evasive action" in response to a laser...???
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preacher1
preacher1 1
Stephen Boyle posts an older article above. This story does not have a reference to it.
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WALLACE24
WALLACE24 0
We can't even get justice on an illeagal murdering alien or a terrorist for cry petes. Do you really think they are gonna do much about a moron with a dime store laser? Actually the moron will probably get worse punishment than the murdering illegal as that could cost somebody some votes by picking on a particular ethnic group. Morons don't have a big following.
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