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Before the
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
In the Matter of ) File Number EB-02-TP-393
)
Gabriel Dorcely ) NAL/Acct. No.200332700009
833 Midland Court )
Orange Park, Florida 32065 ) FRN 0004931531
NOTICE OF APPARENT LIABILITY FOR FORFEITURE
Released: December 2, 2002
By the Enforcement Bureau, Tampa Office:
I. INTRODUCTION
1. In this Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture
(``NAL''), we find Gabriel Dorcely apparently liable for a
forfeiture in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for
willful violation of Section 301 of the Communications Act of
1934, as amended (``Act'').1 Specifically, we find Gabriel
Dorcely apparently liable for the operation of an FM broadcast
station on frequency 103.9 MHz at 112 W. Adams Street, Suite
1702, in Jacksonville, Florida, without Commission authorization.
II. BACKGROUND
2. On August 6, 2002, agents from the FCC Enforcement
Bureau's Tampa Field Office (``Tampa Office'') operating an FCC
direction-finding vehicle in the Jacksonville, Florida, area
monitored an FM broadcast station on the frequency 103.9 MHz.
During the time the agents monitored, the station broadcast no
identification. Using direction-finding equipment and
techniques, the agents determined that the source of the signal
on 103.9 MHz was an office building located at 112 W. Adams
Street in Jacksonville, Florida. A ground plane type antenna was
mounted on the roof of the building. Antenna cable ran from the
rooftop antenna into Suite 1702 of the building. Based on field
strength measurements taken by the agents of the station's
signal, a Commission authorization was required to operate the
station.2 FCC license records showed no license issued for an FM
broadcast station at that location or for the frequency 103.9 MHz
in the Jacksonville, Florida, area. Leasing information provided
by the building's lessor showed that the lessee of Suite 1702 was
Gabriel Dorcely. Later that day, the agents, accompanied by Mr.
Dorcely, inspected the radio station in Suite 1702 and found an
FM broadcast transmitter in operation, along with various
associated audio and studio equipment. Mr. Dorcely admitted to
owning and operating the station.
III. DISCUSSION
3. Section 301 of the Act sets forth generally that no
person shall use or operate any apparatus for the transmission of
energy of communications or signals by radio within the United
States except under and in accordance with the Act and with a
license. On August 6, 2002, Gabriel Dorcely operated radio
transmitting equipment on the frequency 103.9 MHz without benefit
of the required Commission authorization.
4. Based on the evidence before us, we find that on August
6, 2002, Gabriel Dorcely willfully3 violated Section 301 of the
Act by operating radio transmission apparatus without a license.
5. Pursuant to Section 1.80(b)(4) of the Rules,4 the base
forfeiture amount for operating a radio station without a
Commission authorization is $10,000. In assessing the monetary
forfeiture amount, we must also take into account the statutory
factors set forth in Section 503(b)(2)(D) of the Act, which
include the nature, circumstances, extent, and gravity of the
violation, and with respect to the violator, the degree of
culpability, any history of prior offenses, ability to pay, and
other such matters as justice may require.5 Considering the
entire record and applying the factors listed above, this case
warrants a $10,000 forfeiture.
IV. ORDERING CLAUSES
6. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED THAT, pursuant to Section
503(b) of the Act,6 and Sections 0.111, 0.311 and 1.80 of the
Rules,7 Gabriel Dorcely is hereby NOTIFIED of this APPARENT
LIABILITY FOR A FORFEITURE in the amount of ten thousand dollars
($10,000) for willful violation of Section 301 the Act by
operating a radio station without Commission authorization.
7. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT, pursuant to Section 1.80 of
the Rules, within thirty days of the release date of this NAL,
Gabriel Dorcely SHALL PAY the full amount of the proposed
forfeiture or SHALL FILE a written statement seeking reduction or
cancellation of the proposed forfeiture.
8. Payment of the forfeiture may be made by mailing a
check or similar instrument, payable to the order of the Federal
Communications Commission, to the Forfeiture Collection Section,
Finance Branch, Federal Communications Commission, P.O. Box
73482, Chicago, Illinois 60673-7482. The payment should note the
NAL/Acct. No. and FRN referenced above. Requests for payment of
the full amount of this NAL under an installment plan should be
sent to: Chief, Revenue and Receivables Operations Group, 445
12th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20554.8
9. The response, if any, must be mailed to Federal
Communications Commission, Office of the Secretary, 445 12th
Street SW, Washington DC 20554, Attn: Enforcement Bureau-
Technical & Public Safety Division and MUST INCLUDE THE NAL/Acct.
No. referenced above.
10. The Commission will not consider reducing or canceling
a forfeiture in response to a claim of inability to pay unless
the petitioner submits: (1) federal tax returns for the most
recent three-year period; (2) financial statements prepared
according to generally accepted accounting practices (``GAAP'');
or (3) some other reliable and objective documentation that
accurately reflects the petitioner's current financial status.
Any claim of inability to pay must specifically identify the
basis for the claim by reference to the financial documentation
submitted.
11. Under the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002,
Pub L. No. 107-198, 116 Stat. 729 (June 28, 2002), the FCC is
engaged in a two-year tracking process regarding the size of
entities involved in forfeitures. If you qualify as a small
entity and if you wish to be treated as a small entity for
tracking purposes, please so certify to us within thirty (30)
days of this NAL, either in your response to the NAL or in a
separate filing to be sent to the Technical & Public Safety
Division. Your certification should indicate whether you,
including your parent entity and its subsidiaries, meet one of
the definitions set forth in the list provided by the FCC's
Office of Communications Business Opportunities (OCBO) set forth
in Attachment A of this Notice of Apparent Liability. This
information will be used for tracking purposes only. Your
response or failure to respond to this question will have no
effect on your rights and responsibilities pursuant to Section
503(b) of the Communications Act. If you have questions
regarding any of the information contained in Attachment A,
please contact OCBO at (202) 418-0990.
12. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT a copy of this NAL shall be
sent by regular mail and Certified Mail Return Receipt Requested
to Gabriel Dorcely, 833 Midland Court, Orange Park, Florida
32065.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Ralph M. Barlow
District Director
Tampa Field Office, Enforcement Bureau
Attachment
_________________________
1 47 U.S.C. § 301.
2 See 47 C.F.R. § 15.239(b).
3 Section 312(f)(1) of the Act, 47 U.S.C. § 312(f)(1), which
applies equally to Section 503(b) of the Act, provides that
``[t]he term `willful,' when used with reference to the
commission or omission of any act, means the conscious and
deliberate commission or omission of such act, irrespective of
any intent to violate any provision of this Act....'' See
Southern California Broadcasting Co., 6 FCC Rcd 4387 (1991).
4 47 C.F.R. § 1.80(b)(4).
5 47 U.S.C. § 503(b)(2)(D).
6 47 U.S.C. § 503(b).
7 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.111, 0.311, 1.80.
8 See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1914.