Joseph Grams, 48, from Reagan, Texas, has been sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay over $135,000 for causing a false distress call and a large-scale search effort in Galveston. This hoax resulted in authorities launching a frantic search along the coastline, looking for a drowning victim that did not exist.
Details of the False Drowning Incident
In August 2024, Grams, who was already facing legal issues, made a distress call to Galveston first responders, claiming to be in trouble while kayaking near the Galveston Pleasure Pier. The call came in at 1 a.m., prompting a swift and urgent response from police, firefighters, lifeguards, and the Coast Guard. However, when search teams arrived, they only found an abandoned kayak washed up on the shore, with no sign of Grams or any distress.
Over the next few days, emergency teams continued to search the coast, looking for any indication of Grams’ body but found nothing. On August 17, Grams was found alive at his home in Falls County, Texas, which is more than 200 miles away from Galveston. He was arrested after a tense hours-long standoff.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Grams had already been serving a 12-year sentence for unrelated charges when he was sentenced for the hoax. He pleaded guilty to the charge of committing a “saving life and property hoax” in March 2025, which carries a potential prison term of up to five years and a fine of up to $250,000. His probation and the financial restitution of over $135,000 will begin once his state sentence concludes.
In addition to the hoax charge, Grams faced multiple charges in an unrelated case, including aggravated assault, burglary of a habitation, and bail jumping. In January 2025, a federal grand jury indicted him for the hoax, accusing him of knowingly communicating false distress information to the Coast Guard, leading to a futile and costly search operation.
The sentencing of Joseph Grams highlights the serious consequences of falsely reporting an emergency. His actions not only caused a significant waste of resources but also put the lives of first responders at risk. The case serves as a reminder that hoaxes and false alarms can have real, harmful effects.
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