Georgia man called bomb threat to avoid work, ordered to pay nearly $40,000 in restitution

SAVANNAH, Ga — A Georgia man has been ordered to repay the enormous cost of shutting down his job with a fake bomb threat.

Elliott Sherman, “Amir Turner,” 23, of Vidalia, was fired, arrested and now owes nearly $40,000 after he called in a workplace bomb threat to get out of work on Sept. 11, 2021.

Sherman pleaded guilty to false information and hoaxes, according to U.S. Attorney David H. Estes.

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Sherman, who has been behind bars since his arrest in May 2021, also was sentenced to time served and two years of supervised release.

“With the thoughtless tap of a few keys on his phone, Elliott Sherman shut down a major port facility and initiated a significant law enforcement response,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “He also cost himself a job, his freedom, and thousands of dollars. That’s a hard price to pay for impatience and immaturity.”

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Sherman worked in Port Wentworth, Georgia as an employee of a staffing agency. He admitted to calling in a bomb threat so the other workers in his carpool also would be dismissed, and he wouldn’t have to wait for his ride home.

During the ensuing investigation, the company was forced to halt operations at two warehouses at the cost of $38,400, according to Estes.

“Hoax threats consume law enforcement resources needed for actual emergencies, disrupt commerce, and terrify potential threatened victims,” FBI Atlanta special agent Keri Farley said. “Anyone who decides to carry out a threat like this, especially one so inappropriately timed, can expect the FBI to come knocking to hold them accountable.”

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