"Maxprop" wrote in message
ink.net...

"jlrogers" wrote in message
. net...
two people have been ordered to pay a total of $51,000 after being
convicted of making bogus distress calls that sent Coast Guard aircraft
and boats scrambling to search for missing people who did not exist.

In the latest case, Justin J. Aquino, 19, of O'ahu, was sentenced Monday
to five years supervised probation and 100 hours of community service
following his guilty plea to a felony charge of making a false Mayday
call to the Coast Guard on March 8.

He also was ordered to reimburse the Coast Guard $29,000 for costs
incurred in responding to the false distress call. Aquino could not be
reached for comment yesterday.

In a previous case, Christine Stark was sentenced on Sept. 12, 2006, to
three years probation and ordered to pay $22,000 after she triggered a
Coast Guard search in waters off Maui on Aug. 28, 2003.

Stark could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Following news of Aquino's sentencing, U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo said the
"large monetary fine makes it clear that these false reports are not
funny. Whether a false distress call to the Coast Guard, or a false
report about something on a plane, or even the false yelling of fire in a
theater - these types of reports cause unnecessary fear and distress
among innocent families and the public."

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ap...0404/1001/NEWS

These bogus distress calls seem to happen every year. And many of the
perps get caught. You'd think the idiots would learn.

Max

The people who do this are either mentally ill or it's some sort of prank,
but I repeat myself.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com