COLUMBUS – Police have enlisted the help of a man convicted of pointing a laser at the cockpit of an airliner in the production of a video to deliver the message that the act is dangerous and illegal.
Eugene Robinson pleaded guilty in April to interfering with the operation of an aircraft with a laser, a felony.
Robinson, 38, was arrested after he pointed a laser at the cockpit of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 with 61 passengers on board in July 2018, according to Division of Police spokeswoman Denise Alex-Bouzounis and the script of the YouTube video.
“I’m looking at 33 years of federal penitentiary time,” Robinson says in the video. “I’d be 71. My life would be done.”
As part of a plea agreement in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, Robinson agreed to appear in a public service announcement about the dangers and potential penalties for pointing lasers at aircraft.
Robinson was also accused of pointing a laser at three Columbus police helicopters.
“Interfering with the duties of a police officer, especially when it can endanger the lives of others, is not something law enforcement takes lightly. Whenever and however we can educate others to prevent criminal acts from occurring, we call that a win for us and the community,” interim Chief Thomas Quinlan said.
Detective Patrick Seaman with the Columbus Division of Police Homeland Security Section produced the public-service message in collaboration with Faith Life Ministries.