A man accused of aiming a laser pointer at Marine One, a U.S. Marine Corps aircraft carrying President Donald Trump, was acquitted of federal charges stemming from the alleged incident on Sept. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Jacob Samuel Winker, 33, was found not guilty of "Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft" in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Jan. 13, 2026, according to court records reviewed by USA TODAY. If convicted, Winker would have faced up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine, as aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft is a federal crime and a felony.
A complaint filed on Sept. 22, 2025, alleged that Winker pointed the laser at a Secret Service officer assigned to secure the flight path for Marine One on the day of the incident. Winker is then accused of pointing the device at the presidential helicopter as it was flying overhead, the document continued.
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At the time of the alleged incident, Marine One was taking off from the south grounds of the White House, with Trump aboard, according to the complaint. The Secret Service officer said in the document that he initially noticed a shirtless Winker "talking to himself and being loud." The officer detained Winker following the alleged incident as his actions were a "danger to Marine One and everyone on-board," the complaint reads.
