UPDATE: DHS Says Suspect in Newark Flight Bomb Threat Had Been Deported Twice

The man accused of making a false bomb threat aboard a United Airlines flight from Newark had previously been deported from the United States twice, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

DHS identified the suspect as Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, 34, a Honduran national whose most recent residence was in the Bronx. The department said immigration officers had lodged a detainer seeking custody after his arrest in Louisiana.

As previously reported, a passenger was arrested after allegedly telling crew members he had a bomb on United Flight 2174 from Newark to New Orleans on Monday night. The aircraft landed safely, and authorities said the bomb claim was false.

According to DHS, Gomez-Alberto was caught crossing the border near El Indio, Texas, in 2011 and near Columbus, New Mexico, in 2014. He was removed from the country after both encounters.

The department said he entered the country illegally again near San Ysidro, California, in 2019. After another Border Patrol arrest, he was released in January 2020 while his removal case was pending before an immigration judge.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office arrested Gomez-Alberto following the flight's arrival at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. He was booked on charges of communicating false information about planned arson and terrorizing. The accusations have not been adjudicated.

Reports citing the sheriff's office said 46 passengers and six crew members were aboard the flight. No bomb or explosion was reported.

The new immigration information adds to the account of the incident; it does not establish a conviction on the Louisiana charges. An immigration detainer is a request for custody and does not mean a transfer has already taken place.