As a result, the penalties for making a bomb threat can be quite severe. On a state level, the laws vary by jurisdiction. But, generally, one can be expected to be charged with a felony (a crime punishable by more than a year in prison), and the severity of the crime charged and the penalty given will also vary by the circumstances of the threat. Indeed, if an actual explosive device (or a dummy device meant to look like an actual explosive) is used, the penalties will be substantially higher, and could include multiple counts of attempted murder. On a federal level, one can expect to face possible charges related to terrorism. Of course, all of these crimes will usually include financial penalties that are in addition to the prison sentences, and will probably have some relation to the expense associated with investigating the threat which, as mentioned, can be staggeringly expensive given the number of government agencies involved.