ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 27, 1990                   TAG: 9004270645
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short


CBN WORKER CHARGED WITH TV INTERFERING

A Virginia television technician was charged with federal criminal violations Thursday for allegedly interrupting the satellite transmission of a pornographic television show with religious messages.

Thomas M. Haynie, a technician for the Christian Broadcast Network in Virginia Beach, was accused of using his employer's satellite transmission equipment to break into transmissions of a program called "American Ecstasy" on the Playboy cable television channel, the Justice Department said.

A department news release described the interrupted cable broadcast as "a hard-core pornography show."

The program was interrupted three times on Sept. 6, 1987, with the video message: "Thus sayeth the Lord thy God. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Repent, the kingdom of God is at hand!" according to the indictment.

The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in Norfolk, charged Haynie with intentional interference with two communications satellites, including one used by the Playboy Channel to transmit the program to its cable outlets.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.



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