NY Woman Indicted on Metro-North Bomb Threat Charge
A woman accused of making up a bomb threat that forced hundreds of Metro-North passengers off their train has now been indicted.
Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced that 27-year-old Albertyna Mendoza of the Bronx was arraigned Thursday on a felony charge of falsely reporting an incident in the second degree.
The charge stems from a frightening incident that unfolded during the evening commute last year.
Metro-North Train Evacuated After Bomb Report
According to prosecutors, Mendoza was riding on a Metro-North train through on May 3, 2025, when she allegedly began sending text messages to 911 Emergency Operations. The messages reportedly claimed that a man aboard the train was holding a bomb in his hand.
The report was taken seriously, and at around 4:30 pm, the New Haven-bound train was stopped at the Metro-North station in Rye. MTA Police evacuated everyone on board while officers and K-9 units searched the train for explosives or other potential threats.
Police eventually determined that there was no bomb. Investigators say they were also unable to find anyone matching the description of the man mentioned in the 911 messages. A review of surveillance video reportedly showed no evidence that the person described by Mendoza was ever on the train.
Passengers and crew were eventually transferred to another train so they could continue their trip.
Investigation Leads to Arrest
While the bomb threat turned out to be unfounded, police continued to investigate who was responsible for making the report.
MTA Police, working with the Westchester County District Attorney's Office, eventually identified Mendoza as the person allegedly behind the messages. She was arrested on July 30, 2025. More than a year after her arrest, Mendoza has now been indicted on the felony charge.
She pleaded not guilty during her arraignment and was released on her own recognizance. Prosecutors noted that the charge is not eligible for bail under New York State law.
Mendoza is scheduled to return to court on September 17.
