Michigan resident Joshua Darrell Lowe was sentenced to eight months in prison last Monday for making a fake bomb threat in January 2024.
Upset that his girlfriend and her family left him at home to look after their pets during their cruise, Lowe’s email forced Carnival Cruise Line to inspect over 1,000 rooms on Carnival Sunrise.
Prosecutors shared that Lowe was staying with his girlfriend and her family then.
They established that the 19-year-old was distressed by their decision to leave him behind while they joined a Jamaican cruise, prompting him to write Carnival about a bomb onboard the vessel they were sailing on.
The Email That Started It All
According to the United States Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Michigan, Lowe emailed the cruise line, saying, “Hey, I think someone might have a bomb on your Sunrise cruise ship.”
Responding to the warning, Carnival Cruise Line personnel searched Carnival Sunrise’s 1,173 staterooms after it had just left Miami.
The cruise operator also alerted Jamaican authorities and the US Coast Guard. Meanwhile, marine police escorted the ship back to its home port.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) traced the email address back to Lowe, who later apologized in writing to US District Judge Paul Mahoney.
“This is all my fault, and I take full responsibility,” his letter read.
Bomb Threats: “Not a Laughing Matter”
Though no one was hurt during the commotion, authorities reiterated the seriousness of his actions.
As the teen was indicted in September 2024, US Attorney Mark Totten said, “We take every threat of mass violence seriously. Hoaxes can endanger lives, incur needless costs, and divert public safety resources needed to address real threats.”
FBI Special Agent Cheyvoryea Gibson added, “Bomb threats are not a laughing matter and are extremely irresponsible. …The FBI takes all threats to life seriously and will ensure that those who resort to this kind of intimidation face the appropriate consequences.”
