A Georgia man pleaded guilty after prosecutors said he shot a helicopter piloted by a state trooper because he didn’t like it flying near his property.
Terry Kielisch, 56, is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison after he pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and two counts of assaulting a person assisting an officer of the United States.
According to court documents, Kielisch fired two shots from his Remington .308 rifle at a Georgia State Patrol helicopter in March of last year. The chopper was piloted by a trooper and was carrying an investigator with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office at the time of the incident.
The helicopter that was shot was coordinating with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives at the time as part of Operation Gunsmoke, which ended in the arrests of 26 people for gun and drug charges. Kielisch was not a target of the operation but, according to investigators, was upset that the helicopter was near his home.
The helicopter was hit near its fuel lines and received $60,000 in damage but was able to land safely, and the two law enforcement officers came out unharmed.
“This defendant’s dangerous actions callously threatened the lives of two law enforcement officers, damaged public property, and threatened the safety of all residents near the scene of this incident,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby Christine. “We are fortunate that no one was injured in this senseless attack.”
