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 NEWS  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974).  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  TTY:  1-  888-  835-  5322 
 UNLICENSED  RADIO  BROADCASTER  BENJAMIN  LEROY  CARTER,  AKA  MALIK  ”COPAFEEL”  ABDUL,  SENTENCED  TO  18  MONTHS  PROBATION,  4  MONTHS  OF 
 WHICH  WILL  BE  SERVED  AS  HOME  CONFINEMENT 
 Washington,  D.  C.  -  Today,  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  (FCC)  announced  that  on  February  5,  2003,  in  the  United  States  Middle  District  of  Florida,  Orlando  Division,  United 
 States  Magistrate,  Honorable  David  A.  Baker  sentenced  Benjamin  Leroy  Carter  to  18  months  probation,  4  months  of  which  will  be  served  as  home  confinement.  In  addition,  Carter  is  required  to 
 perform  50  hours  of  community  service. 
 The  conditions  of  probation  stipulate  that  Carter  must  not  violate  any  Federal,  State  or  Local  laws,  including  Section  301  of  the  Communications  Act  of  1934,  as  amended.  The  case  was 
 prosecuted  by  the  United  States  Attorney’s  Office,  Middle  District  of  Florida,  Orlando  Division. 
 The  conviction  and  subsequent  sentencing  is  the  result  of  an  investigation  that  began  in  February  of  1999.  The  Commission’s  Tampa  Florida  Office  received  complaints  from  residents 
 and  broadcasters  in  the  Orlando,  Florida  area  of  interference  to  the  reception  of  licensed  radio  broadcast  stations  in  the  area.  Carter  pled  guilty  to  seven  counts  of  unlicensed  radio  operation  and 
 agreed  to  forfeit  all  equipment  used  in  connection  with  the  unlicensed  operation  in  November  of  2002. 


 The  operation  of  an  unlicensed  broadcast  station  is  a  violation  of  Section  301  of  the  Communications  Act  of  1934,  as  amended.  Operators  of  unlicensed  stations  may  be  subject  to 
 monetary  penalties  of  up  to  $11,000  per  violation.  In  addition,  unlicensed  operators  may  be  subject  to  criminal  sanctions,  including  fines  and  imprisonment. 


 -  FCC  - 
 Enforcement  Bureau  Contact:  John  Winston  at  (202)  418-  7450  /  TTY  1(  888)  835-  5322 


 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:  February  10,  2003  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT:  John  Winston  (202)  418-  7450 
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