Long Island YouTuber Accused Of Threatening Use Of Bomb At Airport: Police

CHARLESTON, SC — A Long Island man was arrested for threatening to use a weapon of mass destruction for an act of terrorism at Charleston International Airport in South Carolina, according to a police incident report.

Thomas Brienza, 20, of Centereach approached two officers at the airport's ticketing area on Aug. 24, and told them he did not want "any problems" and had "a bomb and a strap" on him, as well as fentanyl out in his car, and that he had been flying out to New York and was "nervous," the report states.

But, he then changed his story, according to police.

He ended up telling the officers that he was not going anywhere and that he and a friend, who was outside in his car, were waiting for another friend coming from New York, police said, adding that Brienza appeared "nervous" and was "mumbling his words."

During the interaction, one of the officers noticed that Brienza was wearing black Ray Ban sunglasses that appeared to be recording, and when asked about it, he admitted to filming, saying it was for his YouTube channel and said he did not "really have a bomb."

Brienza told police he uses the name "Thom the Troll" on YouTube/TikTok and posts videos showing himself pranking police officers, gas station attendants, and others he encounters, the report states.

The channel has just over 1,000 subscribers.

He was charged with possession threatened or attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction for a terrorist act, police said.

All that was found on Brienza were his eyeglass case and a vape, and the car he had been traveling in did not have any "guns or narcotics," according to police.

Brienza, who was cooperative while in custody, told police that he does not work and that his only income was from his YouTube channel, the report stated.

He told police he did not realize "the severity of what he was doing when he made his initial statement."

The friend traveling with Brienza told officers that he instigates interactions between himself and different employees, "especially police," but he "has never done anything this stupid, the report stated. When asked if he knew what Brienza was planning, he said, "No," but he "mentioned he wanted to" but he told him the airport was not the place to be "messing around," according to police.

Officers told Brienza's companions that the Federal Bureau of Investigation could become involved and that he could be placed on a no-fly list by the Transportation and Security Administration, the report stated.

Patch has reached out to both agencies.

After his arrest, Brienza appeared before a bond judge and because his case is in the beginning stages, he did not enter a plea to answer the charge, a court spokeswoman told Patch. He was released on $100,000 bail, and the conditions included that he not have any contact with the victim involved, online court records show.

He is due back in court on Oct. 11.

It was not immediately clear if Brienza has retained an attorney.

Attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.