The former star of HBO's Silicon Valley was arrested in New York City on April 9 after being accused of calling in a fake bomb threat. TJ Miller is accused of making the false claim on March 18 while he was on board an Amtrak train from Washington D.C. to New York City, according to the United States Attorney in Connecticut.
Miller was taken into custody at LaGuardia Airport and charged with " intentionally conveying to law enforcement false information about an explosive device on a train traveling to Connecticut." Miller has been released on a $100,000 bond after appearing in court in New Haven. If convicted, Miller could face up to five years in prison. The documents in the case say that Miller called 911 from New Jersey and said that a female passenger on board his train had "a bomb in her bag." The woman was described as having brown hair and wearing a scarf. The train described by Miller, Amtrak Train 2256, was stopped in Westport, and searched by authorities while passengers were detrained. No explosive materials were found.
When He Was Contacted Subsequently, Miller Described the Woman Differently
When Miller was in New York, authorities contacted him via phone and asked further questions. This time, Miller described the woman as having "red hair and a red scarf," according to the criminal complaint. Miller told authorities that he had consumed one glass of red wine prior to making the call and that he did not suffer from any mental illness. Miller also said, "This is the first time I’ve ever made a call like this before. I am worried for everyone on that train. Someone has to check that lady out."
Officials later discovered that the call from Miller came from Amtrak train 2258 not 2256. When that train arrived in Westport, it too was stopped and searched. During which time Miller was interviewed by an Amtrak official. The comedian had been sitting in the first class car and had allegedly been belligerent and had drunk four drinks, two glasses of wine and two double scotch and sodas. An attendant said that Miller had been involved in a "hostile exchange" with a female passenger. Officials say that it would have been impossible for Miller to view the woman because she was sitting behind him. Miller accused the woman of constantly checking her bag without taking anything out and of constantly asking when the next stop was. Miller had allegedly determined that the woman was eager to get off the train and to leave her bag behind.
Miller's case is being investigated by the FBI, Connecticut State Police, Amtrak Police Department, Westport Police Department and the MTA Police Department.
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