$45,000 Fine For Hoax Call To Coast Guard

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Posted: 8:38 PM Sep 16, 2008
Last Updated: 3:14 PM Sep 17, 2008
Reporter: Dave Jordan

11 comments

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An eastern North Carolina man is paying the price for making a fake distress call to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Joe Mills Junior of Newport was fined $45,000 and sentenced to 60 months probation.

Back in May, Mills pled guilty to using a handheld VHF radio while standing on his front yard to fraudulently report a vessel taking on water to Coast Guard Sector NC. The distress call was recorded and specifically referenced the Coast Guard.

According to Mills, he then turned off his radio and went back into his house. The Coast Guard attempted to call Mills back, but he did not answer them. The Coast Guard then engaged in a substantial effort totaling $45,000 to search for and rescue the vessel. Local fire and rescue also spent significant resources.

The vessel was never found, and the Coast Guard launched an investigation and determined that the distress call was a hoax.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: ??? Location: NC on Sep 18, 2008 at 03:39 PM
Why is Clamlips allowed to insult deerhunters on here with his comment"DEERHURTERS".Most every deerhunter I know doesnt seek to hurt deer, they try for a clean , quick kill and eat the meat. What is more cruel, to kill a deer instantly with a bullet,or to take live fish out of the water and let them die a slow death of suffocation.Anyone that is not a vegetarian should think about this.

Posted by: Chris Location: Greenville on Sep 17, 2008 at 11:31 PM
He should be made to pay back what the tax payers had to spend on his stunt! Hit them where it hurts, in the wallet! Prison is to easy! So instead of his stunt costing 45,000 dollars, we would have to feed him, provide him with medical care, let him watch cable tv, work out with weights, basketball, school, learn a new trade etc.. Yeah I am glad he is not in jail actually! Saved me some money!

Posted by: BT on Sep 17, 2008 at 04:43 PM
I think he got off way too light!!

Posted by: ??? Location: NC on Sep 17, 2008 at 03:37 PM
He shouldnt be allowed to just sit in jail and take it easy.He should be made to spend every weekend for the next 5 years out at the Coast Guard station washing boats , scubbing floors, cleaning bathrooms, or whatever else is needed to be done that he is capable of doing. Putting him in prison is just an extra burden on the taxpayers.Also, let the judge order him to keep a job during the week.If he doesnt keep a job, make him work at the station during the week also.

Posted by: Carmen Location: Stonewall on Sep 17, 2008 at 03:00 PM
Thats all he has to pay? I would be thinking more in the lines of 3 million dollars. Needs to be a stiffer punishment for this.

Posted by: clamlip Location: pamlico beach on Sep 17, 2008 at 02:57 PM
being a comm fisherman and talking on a VHF everyday NOT ONLY do they need to inforce this law but all do something about all these deer hurters talking on VHF Frequencys

Posted by: SAR person on Sep 17, 2008 at 09:39 AM
I agree with Ted, forget the probation give him jail time. Someone else could have died waiting for the resources he was tying up with his hoax. The article doesn't say how old this Joe Mills Junior of Newport is but I would be curious to know that information.

Posted by: TED Location: JACKSONVILLE on Sep 17, 2008 at 08:22 AM
HE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN 60 MONTHS IN PRISON . THIS TIED UP THE COAST GUARDS RESOURCES WHILE THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A REAL EMERGENCY

Posted by: Boater Location: Perquimans on Sep 17, 2008 at 06:04 AM
The USCG needs to monitor VHF 10 in the area of Perquimans County.

Posted by: Jim Location: Washington,NC on Sep 16, 2008 at 09:51 PM
I spent four years in the Coast Guard on search and rescue stations in Eastern Carolina. I am glad to see that these people are finally being made to pay for these fake distress calls.

Posted by: A on Sep 16, 2008 at 09:23 PM
Thank God... he should be required to pay it back. What a horrible trick!!!

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