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From: "ARRL Web site" <[log in to unmask]>
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Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 3:19 PM
Subject: ARLB017 Radio jammer Jack Gerritsen gets seven years, fines
SB QST @ ARL $ARLB017
ARLB017 Radio jammer Jack Gerritsen gets seven years, fines
ZCZC AG17
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 17 ARLB017
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT September 19, 2006
To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB017
ARLB017 Radio jammer Jack Gerritsen gets seven years, fines
It was a day a lot of radio amateurs in Southern California had been
anticipating for a long time. On September 18, US District Court Judge R.
Gary Klausner sentenced convicted radio jammed Jack Gerritsen, now 70, to
seven years imprisonment and imposed $15,225 in fines on six counts -- one a
felony -- that included transmitting without a license and willful and
malicious interference with radio
transmissions. Before sentencing, Gerritsen apologized to the federal
government, the FCC and the local Amateur Radio community, which had endured
the brunt of Gerritsen's on-air tirades and outright jamming. "I'm sorry,
and I apologize to everyone here," Gerritsen told those in the courtroom.
Gerritsen's contrition did nothing to convince Klausner toward leniency. The
judge berated Gerritsen as a repeat offender and said he believed Gerritsen
would continue to commit similar offenses. The sentence even exceeded US
District Attorney Lamar Baker's recommended 46 months incarceration.
In addition to the prison time, Klausner fined Gerritsen $225, payable
immediately, and an additional $15,000 to be paid through the Probation
Department. Klausner tacked on two years' supervised probation and
recommended Gerritsen remain in custody in Southern California during that
period.
Klauser further ordered Gerritsen to participate in a substance abuse
program at his own expense. He told Gerritsen he could not use any
identification, including his previous Amateur Radio call sign KG6IRO, other
than his real name when identifying himself, and he told Gerritsen he could
not own, possess or use any radio transmitting equipment.
The FCC had been investigating complaints of illegal radio transmissions
linked to Gerritsen for four years. According to court documents, the FCC
investigation revealed that Gerritsen transmitted both prerecorded messages
and real-time harassment and profanity for hours at a time, often targeting
local Amateur Radio repeater systems and precluding their use by licensed
operators.
Following trial last December, Gerritsen was found guilty of causing
malicious interference with a communications system operated by the United
States -- a felony. The court also found him guilty of two misdemeanor
counts of willful or malicious interference with radio communications and
three misdemeanor counts of transmitting radio signals without a license.
Gerritsen has been in custody since his conviction.
The FCC has already levied $52,000 in fines on Gerritsen for violating its
rules and the Communications Act.
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