Two years ago this month, the FCC got a complaint from the FAA about interference from an unlicensed station on the FM band in San Jose, Calif.
One year ago this week, the Enforcement Bureau’s San Francisco Office announced a notice of apparent liability against Gabriel Garcia, with a proposed fine of $25,000, for signals heard on 92.9 MHz and, subsequently, on 93.7 and 104.3, all traced to Garcia residences, according to the commission. He received four notices of unlicensed operation from the FCC around that time.
Having not heard an appeal from Garcia since issuing its NAL last March, the FCC now has finalized the $25,000 fine.
The base penalty in such cases is $10,000 but the agency has said that Garcia operated on multiple frequencies, on multiple occasions, and called his behavior “particularly egregious” for conduct that apparently interfered with the Aviation Radio Services band.
As usual in these cases, the FCC says that if the forfeiture is not paid the case may be referred to the Department of Justice for collection.
And as usual in these cases, it remains to be seen if the government will see that money. Fines can be difficult to collect, as RW has reported.
