FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 6, 2001

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: John Winston (202) 418-7450

Washington, D.C.- Today the Enforcement Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission announced that the United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, has convicted Khalid Kubweza for operating an unlicensed FM radio station on 91.7 MHz from his residence in Richmond Virginia.

Following a trial, the court convicted Mr. Kubweza on all four criminal counts, finding that Mr. Kubweza ``did willfully and knowingly use and operate an apparatus for the transmission of energy and communications and signals by radio from a place in Virginia to another place in Virginia without a license.'' Previous Commission and court actions had failed to deter Mr. Kubweza from operating his unauthorized FM radio station from his home. In response, the FCC, in conjunction with the U.S. Marshals Service obtained and executed a search warrant on Mr. Kubweza's residence and seized certain station equipment, which was used in the trial. Sentencing is scheduled for December 12, 2001.

The operation of an unlicensed broadcast station is a violation of section 301 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Operators of illegal, unlicensed broadcast stations may be subject to civil penalties of up to $11,000 per violation, seizure by court order of all radio equipment involved in the operation, and or a court order enjoining the operator from operating an illegal station. In addition, unlicensed operators could be subject to criminal fines of up to $100,000 or imprisonment of up to one year, or both.

Announcement by the Chief, Enforcement Bureau, September 6, 2001.

Enforcement Bureau Contact: John R. Winston, 202-418-7450.