FCC levies $200K in fines against Boston-area pirate radio operators

Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Pirate radio operators in the Boston area must pay a combined $200,000 in fines for illegally operating FM radio stations, the Federal Communications Commission announced Wednesday.

"Pirate radio poses public safety risk, including causing harmful interference to licensed radio stations, which transmit public safety emergency alert messages," FCC officials said Wednesday while announcing the fines.

The FCC issued a $120,000 forfeiture against Renold David for operating an unauthorized radio station on 101.9 MHz that he called "Lotnivo FM" that was based in Brockton, Mass.

The FCC also fined Djovany Pierre and Mario Turner $40,000 for running an unauthorized radio station that the pair called "Radio Tele Brockton 96.5" and "Brockton Heat" at 96.5 MHz in Brockton.

Joao Vieira likewise was fined $40,000 for operating an unauthorized FM radio station out of Brockton that he called "Brockton FM" and was located at 102.1 MHz.

The financial penalties are due to violations of the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act of 2020, which commonly is referred to as the PIRATE Act.

The FCC defines pirate radio broadcasting as the unauthorized transmission of radio frequency signals on frequencies found on or near AM and FM radio bands.

Since January 2021, the FCC has proposed $14.51 million in fines and imposed $5.55 million in penalties against pirate radio operators.

Operating pirate radio stations in the United States has been illegal since passage of the Communications Act of 1934.