Former Northeastern University technology manager convicted of staging hoax explosion in 2022

BOSTON — A former Northeastern University technology manager has been convicted by a federal jury of staging a hoax explosion in 2022 and making false statements to a federal law enforcement agent.

Jason Duhaime, 46, formerly of San Antonio, was convicted Friday of intentionally conveying false and misleading information related to an explosive device and two counts of making materially false statements to a federal law enforcement agent, Acting U.S. Attorney Josh Levy said in a statement.

U.S. Senior District Court Judge William Young scheduled sentencing for Oct. 2.

Duhaime was initially arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Oct. 2, 2022, and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 27, 2022.

“Bomb hoaxes like the one the defendant fabricated here have real life consequences. Communities are put in fear, law enforcement personnel are diverted from other important duties and there are significant financial repercussions,” Levy said. “As we experience a wave of bomb hoaxes in schools, houses of worship and other gathering places, we will work closely with our local, state and federal partners to hold accountable anyone who tries to inject fear and distress into our community.”

Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston, echoed Levy’s words, saying that, “Staging a hoax explosion and lying to the FBI about it isn’t a harmless act. It’s a crime.”

“The FBI and our partners take all threats to life seriously because protecting human life is our absolute priority. Anyone who pulls a stunt like this should expect the FBI to investigate and you should consider whether you really want to end up where Jason Duhaime is now awaiting sentencing for three federal felonies,” Cohen said.

As of September 2022, Duhaime worked as the new technology manager and director of the Immersive Media Lab at Northeastern University.

At approximately 7 p.m. on Sept. 13, 2022, Duhaime called Northeastern Police and reported that he was injured by sharp objects expelled from a plastic case he opened inside the lab that evening, Levy said.

Specifically, Duhaime told an emergency police dispatcher that he and a Northeastern student who was working in the Lab that evening had collected several packages—including two plastic “Pelican cases”—from a mail area and brought them into the Lab, prosecutors said.

Duhaime said that when he opened one of the cases inside a storage closet, “very sharp” objects flew out of the case and under his shirt sleeves, causing injuries to his arms. Prosecutors said Duhaime also reported that the case contained an anonymous “violent note” threatening to “destroy the lab” and stating: “In the case you got today we could have planted explosives but not this time!!! Take notice!!! You have two months to take operations down or else!!!!! WE ARE WATCHING YOU.”

Duhaime’s report and concern about a second, unopened Pelican case triggered “a significant law enforcement response” that included the Boston Police Department’s bomb squad, multiple federal and state law enforcement agencies, and the evacuation of a portion of Northeastern’s campus, prosecutors said.

Also, on both Sept. 13 and 14, 2022, Duhaime gave statements to investigators and first responders that were consistent with what he told the emergency police dispatcher. He denied fabricating his story about the Pelican case, the anonymous threat letter, and the injuries to his arms, prosecutors said.

On Sept. 14, 2022, during a search of Duhaime’s office at Northeastern, several laptop computers were found. Prosecutors said a subsequent forensic examination of one of the computers showed a word-for-word electronic copy of the anonymous threat letter that Duhaime claimed was inside the Pelican case.

According to evidence presented during the trial, this electronic copy of the threat letter was created and printed between approximately 2:50 p.m. and 3:56 p.m. on Sept. 13, 2022 – just hours before he reported the incident to Northeastern Police.

The charges of intentionally conveying false and misleading information related to an explosive device and making materially false statements to a federal law enforcement agent each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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