A bomb threat last month at Lehigh Valley International Airport was part of a man’s desperate attempt to get a relative taken off a plane, federal authorities said.
Donald Thompson, 43, was arrested Wednesday in Georgia and charged with maliciously conveying false information about an explosive, and false information and hoaxes.
A detention hearing is scheduled for Monday in the Northern District of Georgia, after which Thompson will need to appear in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to face the charges.
“As a result of this defendant’s alleged conduct, law enforcement resources were diverted to respond to what they believed was an imminent, terrifying threat to everyone on the plane and in the airport,” Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams said. “Bomb threats – even hoax bomb threats such as the one alleged to have been made by this defendant – are no laughing matter; they are federal crimes with serious consequences.”
Thompson called the airport on May 27 in his attempt to get the relative taken off of a Delta flight, federal prosecutors said.
He reportedly told LVIA operations he had a disagreement with the woman, and claimed she was smuggling marijuana on her flight.
Thompson’s call was transferred to the Delta counter, where he allegedly asked about the relative and her travel plans.
When the Delta representative declined to share the information, Thompson again said the woman was trying to smuggle drugs, and he asked if the airline could remove the woman from the plane.
The Delta representative said the airline had protocol in that situation, but that it could not be shared with Thompson.
Thompson allegedly became irate and asked what the Delta representative would do if “I told you there was a bomb on the plane?” before hanging up the phone.
Law enforcement and corporate security were contacted, and passengers and the crew deplaned; the plane was still on the tarmac.
A team and bomb dog searched the plane, and the woman was screened and questioned by a Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority detective. No drugs or bombs were located on the airplane, on the woman or in her luggage.
—-
©2021 Advance Local Media LLC.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
