After a Merced, California man refused to let FCC investigators inspect his Citizens Band (CB) radio station, the FCC issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NAL) for $7000. The Commission found that Ira Jones “apparently willfully and repeatedly” violated Section 303(n) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 95.426(a) of the Commission’s rules by failing to permit the inspection.

On March 26, 2010 and August 27, 2010, agents from the FCC’s San Francisco Office responded to a complaint regarding radio frequency interference within the radio communication system equipment of the Merced County Fire Department. On each of these dates -- in an effort to determine the cause of the reported interference created within the Merced County Fire Department radio communication equipment and to resolve it -- the agents requested an inspection of Jones’ CB radio station. Jones denied both requests, despite the fact that at both inspections, the agents explained the violations to Jones, and provided him with repeated verbal and written on-scene warnings of the consequences of refusing to allow an inspection of a radio station.

Jones must pay the $7000 forfeiture by April 9, 2011 or file a written statement by that date, seeking a reduction or cancellation of the proposed forfeiture.