Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 21, 1994 TAG: 9401210217
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Rodney Bocook, 27, identified himself as the "Roanoke Phantom" when he used his own aviation transmitter to tell pilots to break off landings, change altitude or switch radio frequencies.
A federal agent testified that Bocook also made false mayday calls and impersonated the pilot of a hospital emergency helicopter during six weeks in August and September.
Bocook also pleaded guilty to using obscene language over the airways.
FBI Special Agent John Butler testified that although it usually was clear that Bocook's broadcasts were bogus, they easily could have led to a disaster.
"During one departing flight, his directions, had they been believed and followed, would have caused the pilot to fly into the mountains surrounding the airport," Butler said.
Bocook faces up to 22 years in prison, but neither prosecution nor defense attorneys think his penalty will be that stiff. U.S. District Judge Sam Wilson will announce the sentence in 30 to 45 days.
"It's not as bad as it sounds," Bocook told family members before court started.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rusty Fitzgerald estimated that Bocook would serve two years.
Defense attorney Tony Anderson said he will argue for a light sentence, based on a psychiatric evaluation that shows Bocook has "diminished capacity" to know right from wrong.
"Rodney has a sickness, just not enough for an insanity plea," Anderson said. "He didn't have a true appreciation for the seriousness of his conduct. The motive was not malicious."
After a two-month investigation that included tracing the radio transmissions, federal authorities arrested Bocook in September at his Westover Avenue apartment.
After the hour-long court session Thursday, Bocook was returned to Roanoke City Jail, where he has been held since the arrest. A federal magistrate, fearing Bocook might return to the airwaves, refused to release him on bond.
Don Poff of the Federal Aviation Administration, who headed the task force investigating the case, said phony air-traffic controllers are not a big problem.
He admitted, though, that Bocook's crimes do not require the work of an electronic wizard.
All it takes is about $500 for a mail-order aviation transmitter, a device that until recently was purchased only by airline pilots and other aviation officials.
But prices have dropped, and people who do not have the proper licensing are buying the transmitters, Poff said.
The FAA official said one of the scariest moments caused by Bocook was when a student pilot picked up some of the false instructions.
Six times, a real air-traffic controller cleared the pilot for landing; each time, Bocook told the novice aviator to make another approach before touching down.
"It caused a great deal of confusion," Poff said.
A federal affidavit also listed other transmissions by Bocook. Here are a few:
Sept. 2, Bocook was recorded saying: "Mayday, mayday, mayday, mayday. Ultralight goin' down one zero miles south of Roanoke. . . . Can't stay on radio."
Sept. 4, Bocook called the radio tower and identified himself as the pilot of "Lifeguard two lima gulf," a code name for the rescue helicopter at Roanoke Memorial Hospital. When the tower responded, Bocook said, "April Fool! April Fool!"
Sept 7, Bocook transmitted: "Hello, everybody. This is the Roanoke phantom." When the tower closed for the night, he said, "Attention all aircraft, the phantom is off the air for probably another week."
Butler testified that Bocook's initial broadcasts were easily detected as fake; but in a matter of weeks, he learned the right terminology and became very convincing.
"He was equal to the professionals," Butler said.
by CNB