JetBlue passenger could face 10 years in prison for bomb scare

Santo Domingo.– The US passenger who threatened to set off a bomb on a JetBlue flight between Santo Domingo and New York City could face 10 years in jail.

Newspaper El Nacional reported the man was identified as Frank Bruno Diaz, a Dominican American who acted in a violent manner and claimed to be a terrorist, according to the the Airport Security Corps and Civil Aviation (CESAC).

The incident Thursday night forced the JetBlue pilot to return to the Las Americas International Airport after an hour into the flight. Diaz demanded the plane return to the island or he would detonate a bomb. The fake threat caused panic among the passengers.

CESAC said the man will be charged with violating the country’s airport security and civil aviation laws, and could face up to 10 years in jail. However, the Public Prosecutor’s Office told newspaper Listin Diario that breaking such laws can carry a sentence of 20 to 30 years in prison.