A man who was arrested last year following an investigation into reports of a laser being pointed at commercial aircraft and helicopters in West Los Angeles pleaded no contest Monday to 13 felony counts.
Steve Farzam, now 47, was immediately sentenced to three years formal probation, with conditions including mandatory counseling, no possession or use of a laser device of any kind, no possession or use of stand-alone police scanners, law enforcement radios or similar monitoring devices and no ownership, possession or use of any police, fire, EMT or other first responder uniforms, badges, insignia, patches or related items, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
A state prison sentence of 12 years and four months was suspended in connection with his no contest plea to three counts of discharge of a laser at an occupied aircraft, two counts each of assault with a deadly weapon, six counts of perjury and one count each of impersonating a peace officer and carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Farzam’s attorney could not be reached for immediate comment on the plea.
Farzam was arrested last July after Los Angeles Police Department investigators, along with federal and state authorities, searched multiple properties apparently owned by Farzam in West Los Angeles.
According to the LAPD, the investigation began earlier in 2025 when detectives began receiving reports of commercial aircraft and helicopters being targeted by a laser — an illegal activity due to potential harm it can cause to pilots who could be blinded by the device.
Police said last year investigators seized items including two utility vehicles, police/fire light package equipment for vehicles, radios, first-responder identifications, a fire engine, ammunition, bogus documents relating to a fictitious fire department and other first-responder paraphernalia during searches of Farzam’s various properties.