The FCC announced two fines in cases involving illegal radio operators in Florida.
It issued a $10,000 notice of apparent liability to Willis Cernogg Jr. for running a transmitter on 90.7 MHz in Miami. Agents detected signals on three separate occasions this winter and spring. In April, it inspected the station after Miami police executed a search warrant and secured the residence.
The commission said Cernogg was actively marketing “Lady Luck Radio,” using it to cross-promote other businesses including a club called the “Lady Luck Social Club” and providing commercial spots under the guise of a legitimate commercial radio station.
In a separate case, the FCC issued an NAL for $15,000 to John E. Criteser Jr. for allegedly running an unlicensed transmitter on 95.1 MHz in Lake Park, Fla. In that case, the commission sourced signals in December 2010 and July 2011 to his residence. It said that when agents visited in July, he admitted to operating the station.
The commission increased the usual fine here, it said, because its Miami Office had hand-delivered a Notice of Unlicensed Operation to him for operation on the same frequency in the spring of 2007.