JetBlue Passenger's Alleged 'Bomb' Joke Lands Him in Jail on His Birthday

Mack Bjorn allegedly "joked" that the TSA missed a "bomb" in his luggage

A JetBlue passenger ended up spending his birthday in a different destination than the one he initially planned after he allegedly made a joke about a bomb that got him escorted off of his flight.

Mack Bjorn, of Reno, Nevada, boarded a JetBlue Airways flight from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to San Francisco on his 27th birthday on Feb. 17. While doing so, he “joked that (the) TSA had missed a bomb in his bag,” according to a Broward County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.

Related: Belligerent JetBlue Passenger Restrained by Other Customers After Mid-Flight Altercation: 'Take Him Down'

The arrest report adds that a witness alerted a flight attendant about his comments and he was asked about the remarks he made. Bjorn then "reaffirmed" to the airline employee that the TSA agents had missed the bomb in his bag, the arrest report reads.

Bjorn was escorted from the jetway and placed under arrest.

Once off the flight, an attempt was made to interview the suspect, but he refused and asked for legal counsel. No bomb was ever found, the arrest records say.

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Bjorn was charged with a second-degree felony for making a false report of a bomb, arson or weapon of mass destruction.

On Tuesday, he entered a written not guilty plea and is no longer listed in custody at the Broward County jail.

In a statement to PEOPLE Wednesday, Bjorn's lawyer, George Reres, said his client "is a good person and a newlywed having just returned from a cruise" who has "no prior criminal record."

"We acknowledge the severity of the charges under Florida Statute 790.164 against my client and emphasize our commitment to a fair legal process," Reres' statement continued. "My client regrets the incident, which allegedly stemmed from a joke with no intent to cause fear or harm. We stress that there was no plan to act on the statement, highlighting a moment of very poor judgment rather than malice."

"We are fully cooperating with authorities to clarify the context and intent of the remark," Reres added. "Our goal is to resolve this matter by demonstrating the lack of any criminal intent behind the comment. We request public patience and understanding as we proceed, respecting the principles of justice and the presumption of innocence."

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