PORTLAND, Ore. — An Aloha, Oregon man has pleaded guilty in federal court to aiming a laser pointer at a law enforcement aircraft and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, federal prosecutors announced.
Brian K. Kapileo Nepaial, 38, entered guilty pleas to one count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on October 3, 2025, when a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter was preparing to land at the Hillsboro Airport. During the approach, the aircraft was struck by a green laser, forcing the flight crew to abort the landing for safety reasons. The crew reported seeing an individual walking near a nearby residence before disappearing from view.
Investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation later identified the residence linked to the incident. On October 10, 2025, agents executed a federal search warrant at the home, where they seized a laser pointer from a bedroom belonging to Nepaial. Authorities also discovered more than 100 grams of methamphetamine along with evidence consistent with drug trafficking.
A federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment against Nepaial on December 16, 2025.
Nepaial now faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for the laser-related charge. The drug trafficking charge carries a potential sentence of up to 40 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years, a $5 million fine, and at least five years of supervised release.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 28, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon announced the plea. The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
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