Ex-Ham Gets Jail, Probation for Unlicensed Operation
NEWINGTON, CT, Jan 23, 2001--Former amateur Richard Allen Burton this week was sentenced to three months in jail and one year's probation for unlicensed operation of a radio transmitter. Burton also must undergo psychological treatment.
Burton is scheduled to report to the US Marshal's office on February 26 to begin serving his jail term. He has been free on $20,000 bond.
Formerly WB6JAC, Burton, has a long history of alleged unlicensed operation, most or all of it on amateur frequencies. He was sentenced January 22 after agreeing to serve three months for Communications Act violations. Burton was arrested last August 5 following his indictment by a federal grand jury in California.
Burton faced six felony counts of violating the Communications Act of 1934. The FCC says he operated without a license on repeaters in Southern California after his license was revoked nearly 20 years ago.
Burton's lost his General ticket in 1981 as a result of unspecified violations. The following year, he was convicted on four counts of transmitting without a license and two counts of transmitting "obscene, indecent or profane words, language or meaning." Burton initially was sentenced to serve six months of an eight-year prison term, with the remainder suspended. An Appeals Court later upheld the unlicensed operation conviction but threw out his obscenity conviction.
The FCC says that Burton also transmitted without a license while on probation in 1984 and again in 1990 and in 1992. After the second incident, he was fined $2000 and received a year's probation; after the third, he was sentenced to seven months in jail and another year's probation.
Burton tried to get his ham ticket back in 1992, but the FCC refused to reinstate it. He was briefly successful in 1996, when he passed a Technician exam at a VE session. The FCC granted Burton a new license and the call sign KF6GKS, which the FCC promptly set aside as soon as it realized the error.
Burton pleaded not guilty at his arraignment. A trial set for last October was postponed while the plea agreement was being worked out.
Page last modified: 03:49 PM, 23 Jan 2001 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
Copyright © 2001, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Previous: White House Names Michael Powell to Chair FCC
Next: Troy Amateur Radio Association, Inc -- N2TY
