Michigan man who reported fake bomb threat to Spirit Airlines after missing flight pleads guilty

A Michigan man accused of calling in a fake bomb threat that halted a Spirit Airlines flight at Detroit Metro Airport in June 2025 has pleaded guilty to federal charges. 

According to federal prosecutors, on June 5, 2025, John Charles Robinson, 23, of Monroe, called in a bomb threat when he missed his flight to Los Angeles and was told to rebook. Robinson, who was supposed to board Spirit flight 2145, called the airlines and said that "there's gonna be someone who's gonna try to blow up the airport," according to authorities. 

The bomb threat forced the plane to evacuate, and the flight was canceled. Passengers were then transported to Evans Terminal.

Investigators did not recover any explosive device.

Authorities say Robinson later returned to DTW to board another flight to Los Angeles and was subsequently arrested.

"No American wants to hear the words 'bomb' and 'airplane' in the same sentence," said U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon at the time when charges were announced. "Making this kind of threat undermines our collective sense of security and wastes valuable law enforcement resources."  

On March 31, Robinson pleaded guilty to both charges, according to court records. 

Robinson is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 18.