Feb. 14 (UPI) -- The Federal Communications Commission Wednesday said it is fining a man $40,000 for pirate radio broadcasting on 90.1 Mhz in Hazelton, Penn.
Brigido Danerys Gonzalez was fined under the 2020 PIRATE Act for broadcasting without an FCC license.
That law allows fines of not more than $119,555 for each day during which the offense occurs, but not more than $2,391,097 in total, according to the FCC.
"Gonzalez has been directly involved in the operation of a pirate radio station on 90.1 MHz in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, since at least May 9, 2022," the FCC said in a statement. "On June 29, 2022, agents from the FCC's New York field office traced the source of radio transmissions on 90.1 MHz to 596 Alter St., Hazleton, Penn."
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The FCC said the station identified itself as La Bakana.
When agents contacted the owner fo the building from where they detected the broadcast signal emanting, she said she was unaware of a station broadcasting from the building.
But she described "Super Dany" as a famous radio personality in Hazelton. FCC agents said a supermarket owner in the building told them he paid a person called "Super Dany" about $50 a month to advertise on La Bakana.
During the FCC investigation of the pirate radio station they found a La Bakana website, as well as social media posts with photos of the "Super Dany" DJ.
The FCC said Gonzalez "apparently willfully and knowingly violated section 511 of the Act15 by operating a pirate radio station, La Bakana, on 90.1 MHz on March 28, 2023, and May 9, 2023."
The $40,000 fine imposed is for two days of allegedly illegal broadcasting.
