FCC Report 6/22: FCC Judge Rules On Case Against Antonio Cesar Guel

FCC Actions

FCC Administrative Law Judge Jane Hinckley Halprin released her initial decision in the Media Bureau’s case against Antonio Cesar Guel and his niece Jennifer Juarez.

The commission had designated the seven LPTV licenses held by Juarez’s Hispanic Christian Community Network to a revocation hearing in August 2023 over the assignment and operation of the stations from Guel to Juarez. As the hearing process went on, Juarez waived her right to a hearing and submitted the licenses for cancellation as Guel, a Mexican citizen unable to hold an FCC license, admitted to continuing to operate and control the stations after assigning them from HCCN to Juarez. During the discovery process responses from Guel indicated that similar processes may have happened with Guel’s role in radio holdings Mekaddesh Group Corporation and Hispanic Family Christian Network as well.

Over the course of the proceedings, Judge Hinckley Halprin concluded that there was no dispute that Guel was the 100% shareholder and in control of the licenses, abused FCC processes, and misrepresented fact to the commission for many years including about not being a United States citizen which would’ve made him ineligible to hold a license.

The judge ordered that Guel should cease and desist from violating FCC rules and the Communications Act by making willfully inaccurate, incomplete, evasive, false, or misleading statements before the Commission. As she does not have the authority to ban Guel from broadcasting, Guel is barred from assisting any other FCC licensee, permittee, or applicant without including a copy of the judge’s decision in their filings so the Commission knows of his involvement, and was fined $188,491.

The full decision can be read here.

License Cancellations

Potentially related to the order above, Hispanic Family Christian Network surrenders the licenses of 94.5 K233CU Stockton CA, 107.9 K300DS Corsicana TX, and 96.7 K244FC Hillsboro TX.

Telesouth Communications has surrendered the license of 1640 WTNI Biloxi MS. WTNI went silent in June 2024 with a defective plate contactor. Concurrent with the surrender of WTNI, co-located 1490 WANG/106.3 W292GD Biloxi resumed operation.

Lotus requests the cancellation of 95.9 K240CA Crystal Bay NV. The translator had been rebroadcasting Classic Country “100.1 Hank-FM” KXZZ Dayton/Reno.

Silent Notifications

• Prime Broadcasting’s 1460 WQXM Bartow FL (Technical issues)
• Hindman Broadcasting Corporation’s 1340 WKCB Hindman KY (Lightning damage)

FM Changes

Full Potential Ministry applies to upgrade 88.7 KSMD Dover AR