A 40-year-old Orange County man has pleaded guilty to opening fire on a sheriff’s helicopter after his birthday party turned violent.
Federal prosecutors said Justin Derek Jennings of Laguna Niguel admitted to one count of attempting to damage or destroy an aircraft in U.S. special jurisdiction. He now faces up to 20 years in federal prison when sentenced on Jan. 30, 2026.
The incident happened on March 9, 2024, after Jennings became angry while drinking during his birthday celebration. Court records show that once his family left, Jennings retrieved a rifle from his gun safe and emptied a full magazine inside the home.
When an Orange County Sheriff’s Department helicopter arrived, Jennings went to an upstairs room and fired at the aircraft over a 20-minute span, shooting only when the helicopter was visible. Deputies eventually negotiated with him, and he surrendered without further violence.
A search of the home uncovered two rifles, two revolvers, two handguns, multiple magazines, and boxes of ammunition. Bullet casings littered the floor beneath the window where he had fired.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office initially filed state charges but later dismissed them so the federal case could proceed. The FBI and the sheriff’s department jointly investigated.
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