Michelle Bryant, Making Bomb Threats, South Carolina 2017

Florence, South Carolina – In a shocking case of terroristic threats, Michelle Bryant, a 47-year-old woman from Mission Viejo, California, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to making false and misleading bomb threats to the Myrtle Beach International Airport (MBIA).

Bryant’s crimes date back to 2017, when she placed five telephonic bomb threats to the MBIA between March and August of that year. The threats were so credible that they prompted the airport to spend $12,822.40 on a full-time bomb detection dog and a trained handler, a cost that Bryant will now be forced to pay through restitution.

According to court documents, investigators were able to identify Bryant as the perpetrator through a combination of records from an international telecommunications company and interviews with numerous individuals. Once confronted by the FBI at her residence in California, Bryant admitted to making the threats, claiming it was out of revenge for a failed relationship with someone who had ties to the airport.

The case was a collaborative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Myrtle Beach Police Department, the Horry County Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant United States Attorney and Chief Deputy Solicitor Scott Hixson of the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office prosecuted the case.

Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell handed down the 2-year sentence, which will be followed by 3 years of court-ordered supervision. With no parole in the federal system, Bryant will have to serve her entire sentence.

This case highlights the devastating impact of bomb threats on our communities. The fear and disruption caused by such threats are real, and the consequences can be severe.

Bryant’s actions not only endangered the lives of airport visitors but also wasted valuable resources that could have been used to support legitimate airport operations.

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