Acting United States Attorney Steve Butler of the Southern District of Alabama announced that George Ferrell was indicted for communicating a false distress to the Coast Guard. The indictment is related to conduct that occurred in March of this year causing the Coast Guard to initiate a search.
The Coast Guard takes reports of maritime distress very seriously, and will launch small boats, cutters, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft at a moment’s notice when any person is in harm’s way. However, when they receive reports that are deliberate hoaxes or jokes, watch standers find it anything but funny.
Capt. Joseph Snowden, commander of Sector Mobile, says that throughout the United States the Coast Guard receives false reports every day. “The Coast Guard responds to all reports of distress with urgency," said Snowden. “A hoax report takes time away from both Command Center search and rescue planners, as well as the crews of the cutters, boats, and aircraft that respond. It’s unfortunate that some citizens find wasted time and money funny."
There are hefty penalties that can befall a person who is found guilty of making a false distress call, including up to six years in prison, $250,000 criminal fine, and a $5,000 civil fine. This is all in addition to reimbursements that must be made to the Coast Guard for costs of their Search-and-Rescue response.
Acting United States Attorney Steve Butler takes these cases very seriously and will assist the United States Coast Guard in vigorously prosecuting all individuals who waste the time and assets of the Coast Guard with false distress reports. The main concern is that these cases take Coast Guard personnel and assets away from actual search and rescue missions.
Special Agent Juan Joy, a Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) agent out of Mobile, Alabama, stated, “CGIS is committed to protecting the service men and women who are put in danger from these hoax reports, as well as protecting the tax payer’s money used by the USCG to save people’s lives and their property."
Hoax distress calls are not just a matter of wasted time and money. The Coast Guard prides itself on effective and safe operations in dangerous situations; however, hoax calls put these men and women in unnecessary risk during responses. In addition, those truly in peril may find themselves waiting for rescue, as the search and rescue crews are responding to a report that proves to be a hoax.
An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by a defendant. A defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until and unless he or she is proven guilty at trial.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
