RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Three men have pleaded guilty to making false distress calls to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard said in a news release Saturday that 25-year-old Jeremy Fisher of Holly Ridge made at least 22 fake calls to the Coast Guard in 2007 and 2008.
The Coast Guard said 22-year-old William Yates of Sneads Ferry and 21-year-old Steven Medina of Onslow County each pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting a false distress call.
According to their plea agreements, each man will pay the Coast Guard for the cost of deploying search and rescue teams for the hoax calls.
Fisher agreed to pay $234,111, Medina will pay $233.48 and Yates will pay $506.80. The men will be sentenced later and could face jail time and additional fines.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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