'I will kill everyone onboard:' Convicted felon makes fake bomb threat on flight to avoid cartel, docs say

SPOKANE, Wash. - An Alaska Airlines flight from Atlanta to Seattle was diverted to Spokane International Airport after a passenger wrote a threat that he had a bomb on board.

According to court documents, a 38-year-old man from Kentucky, who was seated in first class, wrote the following note on a paper receipt and gave it to a flight attendant:   

"There is a bomb on the plane. This is not a joke. Several pounds of homemade explosives are in my carry on bag. I have a detonator with me. Handle this matter carefully and exactly how I say, otherwise I will detonate the explosives and kill everyone on board. You are to alert the pilot to this note and keep the issue to yourself. Many innocent lives are in your hands, do as I demand and everyone will live. Deviate and the consequences will be deadly for all of us. I have nothing left to lose. 

My demands are simple. I want this plane rerouted from its destination in Seattle. Any other airport will do. If this plane lands in Seattle, I will kill everyone onboard. Change our destination and I will refrain from detonating the bomb. I repeat, if I see us land in Seattle, I will kill every soul on this plane. 

Contact the ground and let them know what's happening and what my demands are. If they reroute us to another airport I will refrain from detonating the explosives and I will give myself up peacefully upon arrival. This incident is to stay out of the news media until well after I have surrendered. Once we have been rerouted I expect an announcement. That way I know my demands have been met. Pretend there is some sort of equipment problem or whatever you have to do. Just get this plane rerouted. Failure to comply will cost the lives of everyone on this plane."  

The flight attendant spoke to the captain and co-pilot about the threat, and Flight 334 was rerouted to Spokane around 5:15 p.m. 

Local and federal law enforcement were on the ground when the plane arrived in Spokane. 

The man was detained by law enforcement. 

When he was interviewed by police, he admitted that he knew the information was fake and that there were no bombs on the plane, according to court documents.

Investigators said he hoped the false information would divert the flight so he could avoid being targeted by the Sinaloa Cartel when he landed in Seattle. He told investigators that cartel members were waiting for him in Seattle and planned to torture and kill him.

He also told investigators that he had other plans to divert the flight, like opening a cabin door in-flight and assaulting a flight attendant, court documents said.  

According to court documents, he "did not think of a more reasonable approach, such as contacting law enforcement personnel at the airport to ask for help or assistance."

The man has been federally charged with false information and hoaxes. 

He has previous misdemeanor and felony convictions, including kidnapping and robbery, according to court documents. 

There were 177 passengers and six crew members on board at the time. All got off the plane safely. 

Several other flights were delayed out of the airport.