A Michigan teenager was sentenced to eight months in prison for faking a bomb threat on a Carnival cruise. The 19-year-old was upset that his girlfriend and her family were sailing without him, while he was stuck at home pet-sitting.
Joshua Darrell Lowe appeared in federal court in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Monday, April 14, 2025, and was sentenced to prison for calling in a bogus bomb threat in January 2024. The email, which read, "Hey, I think someone might have a bomb on your Sunrise cruise ship," resulted in a full-scale response from the crew and authorities.
For starters, the crew aboard Carnival Sunrise had to check over 1,000 cabins to ensure everyone's safety, while the U.S. Coast Guard and Jamaica Marine Police were also called in to assist and escort the ship to port.
Carnival Sunrise had just left Miami and was bound for Jamaica with over 2,900 passengers and 1,000 crew on board. No explosives were found, but the incident delayed the ship and heightened tensions among guests and crew.
“FBI agents traced the email address to Lowe, who was living with his girlfriend’s family,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler in a court filing.
The teen reportedly apologized for his actions in a letter to U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney, saying, "This is all my fault and I take full responsibility."
Still, U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said they take every threat of mass violence seriously, adding, "Hoaxes can endanger lives, incur needless costs, and divert public safety resources needed to address real threats. My office has zero tolerance for wrongdoers who intentionally convey false and misleading information that prompts a law enforcement response."
Section 35 of Title 18 of the U.S. Department of Justice's Criminal Resource Manual gives civil and criminal penalties for conveying false information regarding attempts to destroy or damage vehicles, aircraft, or related facilities.
When providing reckless false information, individuals face up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both.
Not the first time a cruise ship dealt with a bomb hoax
In 2012, Linda Gayle Wilson, of Baldwin, Florida, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison for making a false bomb threat aboard the now-scrapped Carnival Fascination. Wilson claimed there was a female terrorist on the ship with plans to detonate a bomb before reaching port.
The incident occurred in 2010 when Fascination was returning from a Mother's Day Caribbean cruise with over 2,000 passengers onboard.
When the ship docked in Jacksonville, federal and local law enforcement officers boarded the vessel to conduct thorough searches. Thankfully, no explosives were found. Wilson was arrested on December 27, 2011, on a federal warrant by local law enforcement.
More recently, PortMiami's operations were halted because of a bomb threat on March 3, 2025. The threat was received shortly after 9:00am and caused the temporary closure of the PortMiami Tunnel.
With five ships in port — Independence of the Seas, MSC Divina, Norwegian Joy, Carnival Sunrise, and Carnival Conquest — it was unclear which vessel was targeted.
All ships were ready to disembark and welcome new guests onboard. The hoax was found to be false, and while an investigation is underway, nobody has been charged yet. Port operations resumed by 1:30pm.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she traveled frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas during her freshman year of high school. Having sailed on nearly 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
