Michigan Man Sentenced for Cruise Bomb Threat Hoax
A Michigan man who sent a false bomb threat to Carnival Cruise Line because he was upset about being left behind from a family trip has been sentenced to eight months in federal prison. Joshua Lowe, 19, was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Kalamazoo. He was charged earlier this year with making a false threat involving a cruise ship after the Carnival Sunrise received an alarming email shortly after departing Miami in January 2024.
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Email Forced Security Sweep of More Than 1,000 Cruise Cabins
Federal prosecutors say the Carnival Sunrise was en route to Jamaica when the cruise line received an anonymous email that read: “Hey, I think someone might have a bomb on your sunrise cruise ship.”
The message triggered a large-scale security response. According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, cruise staff, along with U.S. and Jamaican authorities, searched more than 1,000 staterooms. The U.S. Coast Guard and Jamaican law enforcement were alerted, and the ship was escorted to port for further checks.
FBI Traced Hoax to Upset Teen Left Behind to Watch Pets
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler said the FBI quickly traced the message to Lowe, who was staying with his girlfriend’s family at the time. Lowe admitted to sending the threat because he was angry that his girlfriend and her family went on the cruise without him, leaving him at home to care for their pets.
“This is all my fault and I take full responsibility,” Lowe wrote in a letter to U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney ahead of his sentencing.
Officials Condemn the Hoax and Highlight Serious Impact
Authorities made clear that even false threats have real-world consequences. In addition to his prison time, Lowe has been ordered to pay restitution to cover expenses related to the response effort.
“Anyone making a bomb threat should expect to be taken at his word,” Kessler said in a court filing. “Fortunately, this particular hoax did not result in physical injury.”
“Bomb threats are not a laughing matter and are extremely irresponsible,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “When individuals make false hoax threats, they divert critical law enforcement resources and spread unnecessary fear.”
