JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Rhode Island man was sentenced to over a year in prison Wednesday morning for making a false bomb threat on a Breeze Airways flight in December that caused it to be diverted to Jacksonville.
Evan Sims, 41, was sentenced to two years, but was given eight months of credit for time served, as he's been in jail since being arrested on Dec. 5, 2023. In March, he pleaded guilty to the charges.
Sims' sentence also includes the following:
- Three years of supervised release with conditions – alcohol abuse program, mental health evaluations and random drug testing
- He is prohibited from opening any new lines of credit
In the courtroom, Sims' attorney(s) stated he has a fear of flying and that alcohol content bought from an airport bar is what led him to act out on the plane. The defense said at no time while Sims was acting out was he an actual threat to the crew and/or passengers on the plane.
When the judge handed down Sims' sentence, Sims read a statement admitting to drinking too much and apologized for his actions to his family, the court, Breeze Airways and everyone who was aboard the flight.
Breeze Airways Flight 717 made an emergency landing at Jacksonville International Airport on Dec. 5 after Sims made the false threats. The flight left Orlando and was bound for Rhode Island.
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Sims was arguing with his travel companion, a woman identified as 'TC', on the flight and said twice that she had a bomb on the plane, according to a court document. TC repeatedly told Sims to be quiet, the document states, saying his comments were making nearby passengers uncomfortable.
"Due to the defendant's repeated disturbances and escalating behavior, the pilot relayed information to Breeze Airways Dispatch Center," the document mentions.
A flight attendant said it appeared Sims was satisfied with the announcement and was smirking in his seat, while other passengers appeared upset, according to court records.
When the plane landed in Jacksonville, all passengers except Sims and TC were detained by law enforcement. No bomb was located on the plane.
In an interview with FBI agents and TSA, Sims said he made "jokes" about the plane "going down" because he was unfamiliar with Breeze Airways and was nervous about flying. He added that he "really wanted to get off the plane because TC broke up with him and he did not want to fly up to Rhode Island anymore," records state.
Passengers said they overheard Sims say "bomb," but he suggested he said "calm."
Sims then told investigators he was "only human" and may have used the word bomb once "on accident," according to records.
Towards the end of the interview, Sims asked investigators: "How f***ed am I?"
Sims has 14 days to appeal his sentence.