A Kalispell man has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. The sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release, according to U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
Nolan Wayne Hamman, 32, admitted guilt in October 2024 to the charge of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. The case was presided over by U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen.
Court documents revealed that on November 25, 2023, a flight instructor flying over Kalispell reported to authorities that someone was shining a laser pointer at her plane while she was accompanied by a minor student. Responding deputies from the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office found Hamman with the laser pointer on the ground. He confessed to targeting the plane during its flight.
Further investigation showed that Hamman's actions spanned several months as he targeted planes believing they were tracking him. His behavior posed continuous risks to multiple pilots, including two juveniles, and endangered public safety in the Kalispell area.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with investigations conducted by the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force, Federal Aviation Administration, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, and Kalispell Police Department.