Denver Woman Sentenced for Making Airplane Bomb Threat

DENVER—Terrice Gay Hutchinson, age 53, of Denver, Colorado, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn to serve 3 years of supervised probation for making a bomb threat to Southwest Airlines, Acting United States Attorney David Gaouette and FBI Special Agent in Charge James Davis announced. Hutchinson was also ordered by Judge Blackburn not to drink alcohol during her supervised probation.

Terrice Gay Hutchinson was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on June 16, 2008. She pled guilty before then Chief U.S. District Court Judge Edward W. Nottingham on October 10, 2008. Hutchinson was sentenced by Judge Blackburn yesterday, January 15, 2009.

According to the indictment, as well as the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, on April 17, 2008, Hutchinson placed a telephone call to Southwest Airlines. She stated that her husband, a passenger booked on a flight from Denver to Las Vegas, had a bomb and was planning to blow up the airplane. The airline and the FBI conducted an investigation into her threat without interfering with flight operations.

"Threats must be taken very seriously by law enforcement, and when they are falsely made, those who break the law will be pursued and prosecuted to the fullest extent the law allows," said Acting U.S. Attorney David Gaouette.

"The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate and seek prosecution in matters such as this one," said FBI Special Agent in Charge James Davis. "The FBI appreciates the professional manner in which the airline, their personnel, DIA, TSA, and the Assistant United States Attorneys worked with our Agents to bring this matter to a successful resolution."

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and employees at DIA.