Former Station Owner Arrested As Pirate

Shuts Down Pirate

The former owner of WHNR-A/WINTER HAVEN, FL was arrested FRIDAY for operating an illegal pirate station from three motel rooms in LAKELAND. 

The LAKELAND LEDGER reports that FRANKIE JEROME GROVER was charged with one count of unauthorized transmission of a radio frequency and released on $1,000 bond after the incident at the KINGSTON LAKESIDE INN. GROVER allegedly was behind "BLAZIN' 97.9 THE BIZ," an unlicensed station operating on FM and on the Internet. Deputies from the local Sheriff's office, working with the FCC, raided the operation and seized the station's equipment. 

GROVER filed earlier this year to reassume control of WHNR from MARTIN SANTOS, to whom GROVER sold the station in 2006, claiming that SANTOS had failed to meet his financial obligation to GROVER.

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