A Michigan teenager, Joshua Darrell Lowe, has been sentenced to eight months in prison for making a bomb threat to Carnival Cruise Line. The threat was made because Lowe was upset that his girlfriend had gone on a cruise without him. In an email to Carnival, Lowe wrote, “Hey, I think someone might have a bomb on your sunrise cruise ship.” The cruise ship, Carnival Sunrise, was diverted to Jamaica for inspection, but no hazardous device was found.
Prosecutors revealed that Lowe’s motivation for the threat was not related to Carnival or the ship. He was angry at his girlfriend for leaving him behind to care for their pets while she went on the cruise with her family. The FBI traced the email back to Lowe, and he admitted to sending it. Lowe pleaded guilty to a single count of false information and hoaxes.
Lowe was sentenced to eight months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. His relationship with his girlfriend has ended. FBI Special Agent in Charge, Cheyvoryea Gibson, emphasized the seriousness of bomb threats, stating that they divert critical law enforcement resources and spread unnecessary fear. The FBI is committed to ensuring that individuals who make false hoax threats face appropriate consequences.
