Illinois ham held on child pornography charges

[AK9R]

This was in the Newsline report for October 25, 2019:

A longtime amateur radio operator and ham club officer in Champaign, Illinois has been held, accused of trafficking in child pornography. Milton Forsberg, K9QZI, who was described in the local News-Gazette newspaper as a Boy Scout leader for more than 3 decades in the Champaign-Urbana area, is being held while the case goes to a grand jury.

Full article from the Champaign-Urbana News Gazette here.

 

[IAmSixNine]

Shortly after clicking the link and the gazette site loading a warning popped up on my computer that mozilla fire fox prevented someone from accessing my bank records, provided a help desk number and tried to lock me out of the computer.
Knowing better i pulled the plug on my computer. Finally back after a reboot.
Anybody else have this issue after clicking the link @W9BU provided?

 

[doctordialtone]

Anybody else have this issue after clicking the link

I would advise NOT clicking on it

 

[StaticDischarge]

Shortly after clicking the link and the gazette site loading a warning popped up on my computer that mozilla fire fox prevented someone from accessing my bank records, provided a help desk number and tried to lock me out of the computer.
Knowing better i pulled the plug on my computer. Finally back after a reboot.
Anybody else have this issue after clicking the link @W9BU provided?

No, I did not experience what you experienced but then I am running a Linux variant with Firefox..

I would advise NOT clicking on it

Why do you NOT ADVISE clicking on it.. Do you know something we don't and refuse to share it with us? C'mon man, tell us why, don't be just a coach on a couch... Provide us with facts...???? Otherwise please do us all a favor and quit wasting server space...

As I said, I clicked on it and read the entire article and NOTHING happened to my computer...

Life is full of risks, and if you don't take risks what is life???

"Risky life" and normal, happy scanning may now resume...

 

[Motoballa]

Chrome said that it's a dangerous site and advised me not to proceed. Not sure what's going on with the site.

 

[prcguy]

Around here we have convicted child molesters that got ham licenses. Isn't there something in the licensing process that is supposed to prevent that, or are all criminals welcome in the amateur community?

 

[Motoballa]

Around here we have convicted child molesters that got ham licenses. Isn't there something in the licensing process that is supposed to prevent that, or are all criminals welcome in the amateur community?

I don't want to access the website due to the problems others are having with it. With that being said I'm not sure on what all information was shared.

Did he get his ham license after he was convicted, or before? If he got it before he was convicted then even if they did some type of processing or criminal background check it wouldn't show because he hasn't been convicted for it yet. As far as those that currently have one and are convicted, same for them, did they get their license before or after they were convicted? I'm not sure what the process is between agencies to communicate that the offenders license needs to be revoked but I'm certain it'll eventually happen sometime in the process.

 

[prcguy]

The nearest guy to me shows up on a Megan's Law search as being convicted and incarcerated for "lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age" and he was licensed well after the conviction.

I don't want to access the website due to the problems others are having with it. With that being said I'm not sure on what all information was shared.

Did he get his ham license after he was convicted, or before? If he got it before he was convicted then even if they did some type of processing or criminal background check it wouldn't show because he hasn't been convicted for it yet.

 

[TailGator911]

I would advise NOT clicking on it

Thanks for the warning on the link. Your good intentions are appreciated by most of us.

JD
kf4anc

 

[nd5y]

Isn't there something in the licensing process that is supposed to prevent that, or are all criminals welcome in the amateur community?

There is nothing in Part 97. FCC Form 605 says:
Basic Qualifications
Item 28
This item enables the FCC to determine whether an Applicant is eligible under §§ 310(d) and 308(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, to hold or have ownership interest in a station license. Applicants are required to answer this questions only if 1) they are filing FCC Form 605 for one of the following purposes indicated in Item 2: New, Amendment, Modification, or Renewal/Modification; and 2) the answers have changed from those previously provided. Applicants using FCC Form 605 for any other purpose are not required to answer this question. If the answer to item 28 ‘Y’, attach as an exhibit a statement explaining the circumstances and a statement giving the reasons why the Applicant believes that grant of the application would be in the public interest notwithstanding the actual or alleged misconduct. If the Applicant responds ‘Y’ to this question and has previously provided a statement and explanation regarding the circumstances as an attachment to a prior application filed in ULS, and the facts and circumstances are unchanged, the Applicant may refer to the previous application by identifying the application file number and indicating the disposition of the prior application.

Basic Qualifications
28) Has the Applicant or any party to this application, or any party directly or indirectly controlling the Applicant, ever been convicted of a felony by any state or federal court?
If the answer is ‘Y’, attach an exhibit explaining the circumstances.

Form 605 covers other services too. It mentions 47USC308(b) and 47USC310(d). I don't know if those apply to amateur radio.

 

[KK4JUG]

I'm certainly not clicking on it. It's not that important to me.

 

[Chronic]

Around here we have convicted child molesters that got ham licenses. Isn't there something in the licensing process that is supposed to prevent that, or are all criminals welcome in the amateur community?

All there is , is the Felony question you answer before applying or renewing , then it is up to the fcc's discretion .

There is a guy in our area that is a convicted pedophile that his license has been held up for several years waiting on a renewal. The FCC said he could continue to operate until there was a decision .

 

[mikewazowski]

I clicked on it and got a news story. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Ant9270]

No, I did not experience what you experienced but then I am running a Linux variant with Firefox..



Why do you NOT ADVISE clicking on it.. Do you know something we don't and refuse to share it with us? C'mon man, tell us why, don't be just a coach on a couch... Provide us with facts...???? Otherwise please do us all a favor and quit wasting server space...

As I said, I clicked on it and read the entire article and NOTHING happened to my computer...

Life is full of risks, and if you don't take risks what is life???

"Risky life" and normal, happy scanning may now resume...

If you want a virus, go for it. We’ll be waiting for the posts on the forum about how some Indian told you to delete your system32 folder. Jokes aside, the link seems odd to me as well. Chrome threw out a warning on the link for me

 

[AK9R]

I've clicked on that link from three different computers all running Chrome. I see nothing except the article and the usual pop-up ads that you get on just about every newspaper site these days.

That said, the thread is about a licensed amateur radio operator being held on child pornography charges, not your computer's virus scanner. If you don't want to read the newspaper article, then don't.

 

[StaticDischarge]

If you want a virus, go for it. We’ll be waiting for the posts on the forum about how some Indian told you to delete your system32 folder. Jokes aside, the link seems odd to me as well. Chrome threw out a warning on the link for me

Linux and viruses? Are you joking?
System32 folder??? What may I ask is that? Cuz if I had one on any of my computers I would delete the worthless thing(s) in a heartbeat!!
I have had a linux variant operating system on my computers for over 10 years and in that time I have not had a need to even run antivirus software... Or waste CPU cycles on it..
Not saying it cannot forward a virus through email, which I don't forward emails, but I have yet to have a virus attack any of my computers...
But those that don't know just don't know...

 

[Ant9270]

Linux and viruses? Are you joking?
System32 folder??? What may I ask is that? Cuz if I had one on any of my computers I would delete the worthless thing(s) in a heartbeat!!
I have had a linux variant operating system on my computers for over 10 years and in that time I have not had a need to even run antivirus software... Or waste CPU cycles on it..
Not saying it cannot forward a virus through email, which I don't forward emails, but I have yet to have a virus attack any of my computers...
But those that don't know just don't know...

Deleted before I get muted for responding to

 

[AK9R]

OK, we're done. You all can talk about viruses someplace else.