PORTLAND, Ore. – The U.S. attorney's office in Oregon says a Portland man has been accused of aiming a laser pointer at two commercial airliners.
An indictment unsealed Monday says the man aimed the laser pointer at United and JetBlue flights on Oct. 13.
The man was identified as 39-year-old Stephen Francis Bukucs. Federal prosecutors say he was indicted and arrested last week. He faced arraignment Monday afternoon.
The indictment didn't describe in detail the device he's accused of using, or say whether he has an attorney.
Hand-held lasers that can point out objects up to 25,000 feet away are a growing concern for federal authorities.
Last week in New York, the FBI assigned its Joint Terrorism Task Force to investigate laser attacks on two airplanes approaching LaGuardia Airport.
The U.S. attorney's office says Bukucs lives in northeast Portland.
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