SAGINAW, MI -- Emmanuel D. Bowden wishes he could explain what he was thinking Nov. 13 when he posted a threatening message on a social media app.

Emmanuel D. Bowden

Bowden, 21, could only chuckle Thursday, March 24, when a judge asked him that question during his sentencing for making a false report or threat of terrorism.

"I wish I could tell you," Bowden told Saginaw County Circuit Judge James T. Borchard.

Bowden, a Delta College student living on Saginaw Valley State University's campus, wrote in November on the app Yik Yak, "I'm going to shoot every black person I can on campus. Starting tomorrow morning."

Following his chuckle Thursday, Bowden turned somber and said that, within the context of other Yik Yak messages, he thought it was clear the message, posted just after midnight, was a joke. But when at least two people responded by expressing that the message scared them, Bowden apologized and deleted the message within 30 minutes, he said.

Bowden said he was not drinking that night and was not under the influence of drugs. He chalked up his lapse in judgment to a "long week of studying and homework."

Still, prosecutors charged Bowden with the false report charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Bowden on February pleaded guilty as charged to the offense, and on Thursday he faced a minimum sentence in a state sentencing guidelines range of three to five years.

A recent Michigan Supreme Court decision, however, has made sentencing guidelines advisory, allowing judges to exceed guidelines, or go below them, without substantial reasons for doing so. Borchard chose the latter and sentenced Bowden to one year on tether and five years probation.

Bowden's attorney, Kenneth Wright, urged Borchard to go under the guidelines, noting that the Michigan Department of Corrections' pre-sentence investigation report on Bowden reflected how remorseful Bowden is over something that he did not think would go as far as it did.

"Everybody believes it was not his intent to follow through," Wright said.

Borchard told Bowden that he will sentence him to prison if Bowden violates his probation, even if it is by doing "any of the stupid (expletive) other college students do."

"I'm cutting you some slack, man, but don't make me regret it," Borchard said. "Because if I regret it, you're going to regret it."

Borchard also ordered that, to successfully complete his probation term, Bowden must graduate from college.

"I expect to see a diploma before you're done with probation," the judge said.

Bowden then promised the judge he will make good on that expectation.

Bowden's Yik Yak post triggered an investigation that led to his arrest about nine hours after the message was posted. While other Yik Yak users are unable to identify those posting messages on the app, police are able to acquire IP information to locate users who have posted threats.

The statute related to the charge Bowden faced states, "It is not a defense to a prosecution under this section that the defendant did not have the intent or capability of committing the act of terrorism."

Javon A. Cooney

Omari J. Willis

In exchange for Bowden's plea to the terrorism charge, prosecutors dropped a credit card-related case that he, Javon A. Cooney, and Omari J. Willis faced in connection with an Oct. 2 incident inside a convenience store on SVSU's campus.

Cooney and Willis accepted plea agreements that called for them to plead guilty to attempted illegal use of a financial transaction device and for prosecutors to drop two credit card-related felonies.

Borchard on Thursday sentenced Cooney and Willis, the former of whom is on the university's football team and the latter of whom remains a full-time student at the school.

Willis, 20, said the credit card theft was a "dimwitted" mistake. Cooney, also 20, also expressed remorse for the incident.

Borchard sentenced the men under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, which seals their records. If the men successfully complete their one-year probation terms, their charges are dropped.

The judge stressed the importance of the Holmes status and of having a clean criminal record.

"Most people with records get to make pizza or wash cars," he said to Willis.

Borchard emphasized that to Cooney, a wide receiver from Lansing, as well.

"You're not going to be on the football team much longer if you keep this (expletive) up," the judge said.

Borchard ordered Cooney and Willis to also pay a $500 fine. He ordered Bowden to pay $1,500 in fines and costs.

-- Andy Hoag covers courts for MLive/The Saginaw News. Email him at ahoag@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter @awhoag