Washington (AP) – A man accused of shining a laser pointer in Marine One with President Donald Trump aboard the helicopter has been arrested for a federal criminal position, according to a presentation of the court on Monday.

Jacob Samuel Winkler, 33, from Washington, DC, is accused of aiming at the beam of a laser pointer in a plane, a punishable crime with a maximum prison sentence of five years.

Online judicial records do not list a lawyer who represents it.

Marine One was in the air on Saturday near the White House when a patrol officer of the United States Secret Service saw Winkler walking on a sidewalk, without a shirt and out loud, the officer wrote in a sworn statement.

Donald Trump addresses the Marine one when he leaves the southern grass of the White House on September 22, 2025.
Donald Trump addresses the Marine one when he leaves the southern grass of the White House on September 22, 2025.

Saul Loeb through Getty Images

The officer said that a flashlight shone to Winkler, who apparently retaliates by showing a red laser ray on the officer’s face.

While Marine One flew over her heads, Winkler looked up and shone the laser pointer in the helicopter, according to the officer. After the officer handcuffed him, Winkler spoke repeatedly about apologizing to Trump, says the affidavit.

The presentation of the court does not say if someone aboard the helicopter noticed the laser.

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But the officer said that Winkler’s behavior could have temporarily blinded or disoriented a pilot, placing Marine at risk of a collision in the air with other helicopters in the area.

“This behavior endangers Marine already all on board,” said fiscal prosecutor Jeanine Pirro in a statement. “If you participate in this law, it will be identified and processed to the maximum extension of the law.”

Winkler told researchers that he points out the laser “to all kinds of things, such as stop signs,” and he didn’t know that he could not point it out in Marine One, says the affidavit. The researchers also found a small knife in their possession, according to the officer.