West Michigan man facing federal charges for bomb hoax that disrupted Caribbean cruise

(WWJ) — A Michigan teen has been indicted on federal charges for a bomb hoax that disrupted a Caribbean cruise last winter.

Joshua Darrell Lowe of Bailey, Michigan — near Muskegon — is charged with making a false bomb threat, U.S. Attorney Mark Totten’s office announced Wednesday.

In January 2024, Carnival Cruise Lines received an email that said “Hey, I think someone might have a bomb on your sunrise cruise ship,” according to the attorney’s office.

The cruise ship known as Sunrise had just left from Miami for Jamaica as part of a Caribbean cruise with a full complement of passengers and crew, the attorney’s office said.

As a result of the email, the ship’s personnel individually searched more than a thousand staterooms. Carnival alerted the U.S. Coast Guard and Jamaican authorities, whose Marine Police escorted the ship to port, according to Totten, who said his office takes every threat of mass violence seriously.

“Hoaxes can endanger lives, incur needless costs, and divert public safety resources needed to address real threats,” Totten said, per a press release. “My office has zero tolerance for wrongdoers who intentionally convey false and misleading information that prompts a law enforcement response.”

“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. The FBI takes all threats to life seriously and will ensure that those who resort to this kind of intimidation face the appropriate consequences.”

If convicted, Lowe faces a penalty of up to five years in prison and will be required to pay restitution for expenses associated with the hoax.

The FBI is investigating this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler is prosecuting it.

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