A NJ Police State Trooper helicopter circles the area while police investigate a bank robbery at Wells Fargo on the corner of Broadway and Elizabeth Ave in Elmwood Park on Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Santa Ana, California – A Laguna Niguel man has admitted to opening fire on a law enforcement helicopter during a volatile incident at his home last year, a decision that now leaves him facing a potential two decades in federal prison.
Justin Derek Jennings, 40, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of attempting to damage, destroy, disable, or wreck an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. The plea stems from a March 9, 2024, episode that began as a family celebration and spiraled into a dangerous confrontation with police.
According to court records, Jennings was hosting a birthday gathering at his home when he began drinking and became increasingly agitated. Tensions mounted, and most of his family members left. Those who remained said Jennings retrieved a rifle from his gun safe and, while still inside the house, fired an entire magazine of ammunition. Alarmed, the rest of his family fled and alerted law enforcement.
Orange County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene, joined by a department helicopter circling overhead to monitor the situation. From a second-story window, Jennings allegedly trained his semi-automatic rifle skyward, firing only when the helicopter was in view. The exchange lasted intermittently for roughly 20 minutes, with deputies on the ground working to contain the situation.
Eventually, Jennings spoke with a sheriff’s deputy and agreed to surrender. No one was injured, but investigators later described the risk to the flight crew as substantial given the altitude, proximity, and sustained nature of the gunfire.
A subsequent search of the home revealed an arsenal: two revolvers, two handguns, two rifles, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Bullet casings littered the floor, and two loaded magazines, along with a box of ammunition, were found on a couch beneath the window where Jennings had been firing.
The case highlights the serious federal consequences of targeting an aircraft, particularly one engaged in law enforcement duties. Under federal law, such acts fall under special aircraft jurisdiction, carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Jennings is scheduled to be sentenced on January 30, 2026, before U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb. In accepting his plea, prosecutors noted that his actions represented a clear threat to public safety and could have had far more devastating consequences had the helicopter been struck.
For now, Jennings remains in custody, awaiting a sentencing hearing that will determine how long he will serve for a night that began as a celebration and ended with a federal felony conviction.
