TJ Miller Spirals From TV Stoner To Fake Bomb Scare Arrest

The actor you may recognize as Erlich Bachman on Silicon Valley is facing some serious charges. On March 18th, TJ Miller called in a bomb threat while traveling by train. After the bomb squad failed to find any evidence of explosives, the feds brought Miller in for questioning. Now, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut is charging Miller with a felony, and the former Silicon Valley star could be facing jail time.

TJ Miller Calls In A Bomb Threat

Traveling from Washington D.C. to New York’s Penn Station, Todd Joseph “TJ” Miller called 911. He alerted the dispatcher that a woman traveling in first class on Amtrak Train 2256 had a “bomb in her bag.” According to Miller’s initial report, the woman had brown hair and was wearing a scarf.

Miller explained why this woman was suspect: “[she] kept checking her bag without taking anything out; kept asking the first-class attendant what the next stop was, and seemed to want to get off the train and leave her bag behind.” Authorities reported that Miller called in this bomb threat after the woman spurned Miller’s “social overture.”

At Green’s Farms Station in Westport, Connecticut, the police stopped Train 2256.

All the passengers disembarked while the bomb squad searched the entire train. They failed to find any proof of a bomb even having been there. Authorities explained, “No evidence of any explosive device or materials was detected,” according to CNN.

Next, authorities discovered that T.J. Miller was a passenger on Train 2258, not Train 2256. They also searched that train and, again, found no evidence of explosives.

Authorities Track Down Miller

The police contacted Miller to learn more about the woman. TJ Miller went on to give them a different description of the woman “with the bomb.” This time, Miller reported that the woman had red hair, was wearing a red scarf and was holding a “black bag carry-on suitcase with a handle.”

Noticing that Miller was slurring his words, the dispatcher asked Miller if had been drinking. Miller explained that he had drunk “one glass of red wine.” The dispatcher asked Miller if he had ever experienced mental illness. Miller responded, “no, absolutely not. This is the first time I’ve ever made a call like this before. I am worried for everyone on that train. Someone has to check that lady out.”

Authorities then reached out to an Amtrak employee in the first class car where TJ Miller had been sitting. They told the police that TJ Miller had been drunk. The employee also described how TJ Miller had been “in hostile exchanges with a woman who was sitting in a different row from him in the first-class car.”

Monday night, the police arrested the 36-year-old actor at Laguardia Airport. They’ve charged him with “intentionally conveying to law enforcement false information about an explosive device.” The maximum sentence for this federal charge is five years in prison.

New Haven Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer released Miller on a $100,000 bond.

Miller Left Silicon Valley Cast Last Year

TJ Miller’s exit was, according to the Hollywood Reporter “a long time coming.” The show’s creator, Mike Judge, described the actor’s work ethic as less than exemplary.

Judge explains, “there had been stretches when, multiple show sources say, he looked to have things under control, and others when he’d show up seemingly under the influence, if he showed up at all.” This was a major issue when it came to filming with a large crew. He would reportedly also fall asleep at table readings.

Miller left to work on his film career, but other recent events have made this unlikely. In December, TJ Miller was accused of sexual assault and punching a woman back when he was in college.

In an interview with Vulture following his Silicon Valley exit, TJ Miller expressed a desire to challenge the status quo. He told the interviewer, “People need a villain, and I’m occupying that space.”

In an unfortunate turn of events, the once well-regarded TV stoner is perhaps filling that role all too well. The former Silicon Valley star is facing possible jail time after a disgraceful exit from the show and accusations of sexual assault. Hopefully, the severity of these charges will motivate Miller to get help for his rumored substance abuse.