A Michigan man has been indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge that he phoned in a bomb threat to Superdome officials during the Lions' playoff loss to the Saints on Jan. 7.

Shawn H. Payton (no relation to Saints head coach Sean Payton), 34, of Jackson, Mich., was charged with sending threatening communications. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He was arrested by the FBI last month and freed on bond. He's scheduled to make his first court appearance Feb. 14 in New Orleans.

Payton allegedly phoned the Superdome reception desk and claimed there was a bomb in the building. In a second call, according to a report on the Detroit Free Press website, he said, "Hi, I want you to relay a message to the sideline. If your stupid Southern team keeps winning, there will be reper... severe consequences, OK?"

Prosecutors said that Payton admitted to making the phone calls when questioned by the FBI, the Free Press reported.