A passenger aboard an Alaska Airlines flight from Atlanta to Seattle has been accused of making a bomb threat that resulted in the pilots diverting the plane and landing in Spokane, Washington.

According to documents filed in U.S. District Court, Brandon Scott, 38, allegedly claimed to have made the threat because he believed that a “powerful cartel” had ordered his assassination upon his arrival in Seattle.

Scott now faces a charge of providing false information and making hoaxes, CBS News reported.

As per the court documents, after the plane took off on Wednesday afternoon, Scott handed a flight attendant a note stating that he had homemade explosives in his carry-on bag and a detonator on his person.

The note, marked with the words “This is not a joke,” warned that several pounds of homemade explosives were present and threatened to detonate them, killing everyone on board, unless the plane was rerouted to another airport.

The note instructed the flight attendant to inform the pilot and air traffic controllers about the threat while keeping it concealed from other passengers.

Scott’s note indicated that he would surrender peacefully upon arrival at the rerouted destination.

Upon landing in Spokane, Scott was detained, but a subsequent search by a bomb squad found no explosives, according to the court documents.

Witnesses aboard the flight reported the captain informing them of a bomb threat made by a passenger in first class, prompting the diversion.

During the investigation, Scott admitted to fabricating the threat, stating that he did so in the hope of being arrested, as he believed that members of the Sinaloa Cartel were awaiting him in Seattle to inflict torture and murder upon him.

Scott is currently held at the Spokane County Jail and could face up to five years in prison, as well as a potential fine of $250,000, if convicted.

It remains unknown at present whether he has legal representation available to comment on his behalf.

Written by staff