Kalispell man admits pointing laser at airplane

MISSOULA — A Kalispell man today admitted to pointing a laser at an airplane while it was in flight over Kalispell, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Nolan Wayne Hamman, 32, pleaded guilty to aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft as charged in an indictment. Hamman faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Sentencing was set for Feb. 6, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hamman was detained pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that on Nov. 25, 2023, a flight instructor operating a plane over Kalispell called 911 to report a person shining a laser pointer at her plane while she was flying with a minor student. The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded and located Hamman on the ground with the laser pointer. Hamman admitted to shining the laser at the plane while it was in flight.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Federal Aviation Administration, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and Kalispell Police Department conducted the investigation.

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