Grand jury indicts woman who said boyfriend would ‘blow up the plane’

By Steve Kanigher

Thursday, May 19, 2011 | 4:59 p.m.

A federal grand jury indicted a Las Vegas woman accused of intentionally conveying false and misleading information to US Airways last Sept. 11, Nevada's U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden said today.

Miki Victoria Sudo, 25, is charged with one count of conveying false information under such circumstances where the information may reasonably have been believed. Sudo surrendered to federal authorities in Las Vegas this morning and was to make an initial appearance in court before federal Magistrate Judge Robert Johnston this afternoon.

Sudo is charged under a federal law that went into effect in December 2004. If convicted, she faces five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

She allegedly called US Airways and intentionally conveyed false and misleading information that her boyfriend, a passenger on Flight 399 from Las Vegas to Phoenix, was going to “blow up the plane.” Some 10 minutes after the airplane departed McCarran International Airport, the pilot reported mechanical issues and the plane began returning to the airport. As the plane was returning, the pilot received information about the bomb threat.

After landing at McCarran, the plane was diverted to a secure area where all passengers departed and underwent screening. The checked baggage was also emptied from the plane and checked again to ensure that no explosives were on board.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Transportation Security Administration, Metro Police and the Federal Air Marshal Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Gregory Damm.