Man agrees to pay $234K for false distress calls

Updated at 9:18 a.m.

A Holly Ridge man who has agreed to pay nearly a quarter of a million dollars in restitution for making false distress calls to the U.S. Coast Guard told The Daily News on Tuesday that he does not expect to go to prison.

Jeremy C. Fisher, 25, of Holly Ridge, could be sentenced to up to five years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Fisher — who pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to conspiring to make false distress messages — agreed to pay $234,111 restitution for all search and rescue costs associated with the hoax calls.

Fisher called The Daily News on Tuesday to say although he did not have a plea arraignment, he doesn’t expect to serve prison time.

“A lot of other people were doing this,” he told a reporter who returned his phone call. “They can’t catch everyone. They only caught the three of us because someone told on us.”

Fisher said he was part of a family business that had been inundated with phone calls since media outlets began reporting the story Tuesday morning.

“I don’t appreciate it being in the newspaper,” he said. “It’s not good for business.”

Fisher has court dates set later this month in Onslow County for injury to real property and trespassing and a date set in May for Pender County District Court on a charge of operating a commercial vehicle without proper endorsement, according to the N.C. court calendar. He was convicted of communicating threats in 2002, according to the N.C. Department of Correction.

Fisher is accused of drinking alcohol with others on Oct. 18, 2008, when they sent out a mayday call that was relayed through a Holly Ridge antenna.

William H. Yates, 22, of Sneads Ferry, and Steven G. Medina, 21, of Onslow County, each pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting false distress messages. Medina agreed to pay $233.48 and Yates agreed to pay $506.80 in restitution, according to a press release from United States Attorney George E.B. Holding.

Yates and Medina each face up to six years in prison followed by up to two years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

In Oct. 2008, Fisher used a radio to call out “Mayday. Mayday.” When Coast Guard dispatchers responded, Fisher said that he and six people were aboard a vessel taking on water and asked for help. He repeated his mayday and then started speaking in a Spanish accent.

The Coast Guard responder then realized it was a hoax and warned Fisher that what he was doing was illegal. Fisher responded with profanities, according to the release.

U.S. Coast Guard Criminal Investigative Services determined that Fisher and Yates had also made distress calls in October 2007 and that Fisher had made at least 22 false calls.

“It is at great expense that false distress phone calls are made, not only wasting taxpayer money, but also diverting scarce resources that might have been legitimately needed elsewhere and by needlessly endangering the lives of those performing their duties to protect, assist and serve those in need,” Holder said in a statement.

A Holly Ridge man has agreed to pay nearly a quarter of a million dollars in restitution for false distress calls he made to the Coast Guard.

Jeremy C. Fisher, 25, of Holly Ridge, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to make false distress messages. As part of his plea agreement, Fisher agreed to pay $234,111 restitution to the Coast Guard for all search and rescue costs associated with the hoax calls.

William H. Yates, 22, of Sneads Ferry and Steven G. Medina, 21, of Onslow County, each pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting false distress messages. Medina agreed to pay $233.48 and Yates agreed to pay $506.80 in restitution, according to a press release from United States Attorney George E.B. Holding.

The three had been drinking on Oct. 18, 2008, when they sent out a mayday call that was relayed through the Holly Ridge antenna.

According to the release, Fisher said “Mayday. Mayday.” When the Coast Guard asked about the incident, Fisher reported that he and six people were aboard a vessel taking on water and asked for help. He repeated his mayday and then started speaking in a Spanish accent. The Coast Guard responder then realized it was a hoax and warned Fisher that what he was doing was illegal. Fisher responded with profanities, according to the release.

According to investigators, Fisher and Yates had also made distress calls in October 2007 and that Fisher had made at least 22 false calls.

 “It is at great expense that false distress phone calls are made, not only wasting taxpayer money, but also diverting scarce resources that might have been legitimately needed elsewhere and by needlessly endangering the lives of those performing their duties to protect, assist and serve those in need,” Holder said in a statement.

Fisher faces up to five years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Yates and Medina each face up to six years in prison followed by up to two years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.