Man pleads not guilty to cruise ship threat charge
Daquan Smith faces a federal charge after allegedly threatening cruise passengers during a telephone call.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office charged Daquan Lamont Smith with interstate transmission of a threat. He pleaded not guilty and could face up to five years in prison if convicted.
An indictment alleges that Smith knowingly sent a communication threatening to injure cruise ship passengers on Dec. 6, 2025. Authorities did not identify the cruise line or vessel in the indictment described in court records.
The alleged incident involved a call to a Disney Cruise Line telephone number. Smith allegedly called the number after receiving what he regarded as spam calls from it and threatened to detonate a bomb aboard a boat.
The FBI investigated the case. Smith was arrested in Illinois in July and later released on bond.
Smith’s attorney is challenging an alleged FBI interview, contending that it was not recorded and took place without Smith receiving a Miranda warning. The next hearing was scheduled for Oct. 13, 2026.