A Rhode Island man has been sentenced to a two-year term in federal prison after making a bomb threat on an airplane, a serious offense that led to a costly and unwarranted security response. Evan Sims, the 41-year-old from Rhode Island, will also face three years of supervised release following his incarceration, as per the ruling by U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger.
The incident, which took place on a flight from Orlando, Florida to Providence, Rhode Island on December 5, led to Sims's arrest the next day and eventual guilty plea on March 5, according to a press release from the Department of Justice. The court has also ordered Sims to adequately compensate Breeze Airways $25,478 for the disruption caused by his threats. Despite the chaos created by Sims, bomb detection dogs found no threats on the craft after an emergency landing at Jacksonville International Airport.
The turn of events that day started with Sims voicing his doubt about the airline's credibility and eschewing tranquillity amongst passengers with foreboding statements to his travel companion. His conduct escalated during the flight's ascent when he declared, twice, that his companion possessed a bomb, resulting in the plane's diversion to Jacksonville.
This case was taken very seriously, with the Transportation Security Administration, Jacksonville Aviation Authority Airport Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation closely investigating the matter, leading to the prosecution by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington. The scare caused palpable dismay among passengers and crew, not to mention the tangible financial losses and operational disruptions to Breeze Airways.
