Law enforcement officials have detained a Chicago man for the use of a cell phone jammer in a train setting.
He's a silent avenger.
Last week, Dennis Nicholl, a financial analyst at the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago, was arrested for fulfilling a widely held wish among commuters around the world: to silence incoming cell phone calls.
The intriguing saga commenced in late 2015, as residents of Chicago experienced their mobile phones either dropping calls or lacking service entirely while aboard local trains. Nicholl was later identified as the culprit after Chicago IT professional Brian Raida posted a photograph on Reddit, showcasing Nicholl with a signal jammers in one hand and a beer can in the other. This unlawful device possesses the capability to disable cellular and radio signals throughout an entire neighborhood.
As reported by the Chicago Tribune, Aaron Robinson, who observed Nicholl while he was driving, commented, "I believe he found enjoyment in the sensation of controlling the car. It parallels a digital rendition of the notion, 'You young people with cell phones, keep off my lawn.'"
On March 8, a joint undercover operation by the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Transportation Authority, and the Federal Communications Commission resulted in the capture of Nicol. He has been charged with a felony due to the jammers' potential to disrupt police radio communications and block emergency calls. As a consequence, he is facing the prospect of jail time and a fine of up to $100,000.
To the dismay of a significant number of people, residents of the Windy City are now free to engage in personal calls while they are out and about.
An online cell phone jammer retailer has aimed to exploit the New Yorkers' yearning for tranquility among subway commuters. They tweeted, "Cell service is set to be introduced at 6 #NYC #Subway stations - why not make use of a cell phone #jammer to keep conversations to a minimum?"
Pertaining to Nicol's motivations, he insists that he simply wished to travel without any interruptions.
I strongly suspect that a business I frequent is interfering with cell phone signals. I have never been able to make any kind of call while there, and even text messages often fail to send. This is not related to my phone, as I have had the same problem with my last phone on another carrier and my wife's phone (also on Verizon).
My phone thinks the signal is great (3 or 4 bars), but can't even check voicemail. The problem persists - but goes away when I leave the building - until I'm about 10 feet from the front of the location. I suspect the building is made of lead or some other material, because I can pick up Wi-Fi signals (from Comcast, etc.) when I'm inside. I know we're talking about different frequencies, but I think most building materials that block RF do so somewhat indiscriminately.signal jammer
Anyway, I wonder if Verizon could come check it out. If they don't block it, I might have to try a new carrier.
I know how important it is to be able to rely on your service.
You mentioned that service resumed after leaving the building. Since our cell towers are located outdoors, there are many variables that can affect signal penetration, such as foliage and building materials. This is different from WiFi, which uses a router that allows the signal to be wirelessly accessible inside a building. We do offer network extenders, which can utilize your existing high-speed internet connection to enhance indoor service.cell phone jammer
Comcast WiFi is an outdoor public hotspot - not inside a building at all. Also, I have received strong signals from many off-site WiFi hotspots. I know this is not a foolproof test, but it at least shows that some RF can penetrate buildings very easily. Also, (while I also know this is not perfect) my cell phone reports a strong signal. However, as I said, I cannot even have a poor quality phone conversation. Also, it seems to affect a lot of people, as evidenced by how many people are out making or receiving calls. It only happens at this location. I didn't actually say it happens when I leave the building, I said it happens when I leave the building.
This is an official announcement from Attorney General Chris Carr’s office.
Attorney General Chris Carr is urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take immediate action to allow the use of cell phone jammers in state prisons and local jails. The FCC currently prohibits the use of cell phone “jammers,” a prohibition that extends to state and local governments. Yet, in prisons and jails across the country, contraband cell phones are being used to plan and organize violent attacks and other criminal activity, posing a real and significant safety risk to correctional officers, visitors, inmates, and the public at large.
“The simplest way to protect the public from the dangers of contraband cell phones is to allow the use of cell phone jamming technology in prisons and jails, but the FCC continues to thwart our efforts,” Carr said. "This outdated guidance limits legitimate law enforcement tools, creates dangerous conditions for correctional officers, and allows for the expansion of criminal networks inside and outside of prisons. We are committed to fighting violent crime wherever it occurs, which is why we continue to call on the federal government to remove this huge barrier to public safety."
In Georgia alone, 8,074 contraband cell phones were confiscated in 2023, and 5,482 have been confiscated so far in 2024. Recently, an incarcerated leader of the notorious street gang "Yves Saint Laurent Squad" used a contraband cell phone to order the stabbing of an 88-year-old Georgia veteran. A North Carolina gang leader was able to order the kidnapping of a prosecutor's father from his cell phone while in prison. In California, prison gangs use contraband cell phones to order murders and drug trafficking within the prison system.
“There are hundreds of examples across the country of how contraband cell phones in the hands of inmates have been used as lethal weapons and enabled them to continue their criminal activities. We are outraged that these individuals are continuing these activities and endangering the public,” said Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. “As attempts to infiltrate our prisons with contraband cell phones continue to evolve, access to jamming technology is critical to our ability to combat these attempts. We thank Attorney General Carr for his support of our ongoing commitment to public safety and safe prison operations.”
In his correspondence, Carr indicated that the policy of the FCC is rooted in a statute that was established in the early 1990s, a time before prison inmates began to use contraband cell phones to strategize and participate in illegal and hazardous endeavors.
Carr also remarked that 47 USC § 333 does not restrict the FCC from changing its position to permit state agencies to use cell phone jammers in prisons. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons has acknowledged the potential utility of these signal jammers and has been authorized to implement them in several federal prisons, with at least one located in Georgia.
The Justice Department has released a report outlining a new initiative to prevent criminal activities in prisons: a successful trial of a signal jammers that effectively blocked mobile signals from contraband phones within a Maryland correctional facility.
The word spread swiftly among the prison population. For Brian Sterling, the director of the South Carolina Department of Prisons, this news reinforced his belief that jamming technology is the most effective and economical approach to halting the influx of mobile devices into correctional facilities.
A cell phone jammers is a small, low-cost device that transmits a continuous tone to an antenna, thereby blocking any mobile phone from making or receiving calls. Typically, these jamming devices are inexpensive, with many options accessible online, ranging in price from $119 to $650.
Officials in the prison system have long been aware that inmates often find innovative ways to smuggle phones into their facilities. In South Carolina, Sterling mentioned that couriers would walk through wooded areas, throwing backpacks filled with contraband over the prison walls; additionally, drones would fly over the prison yards, dropping phones into the hands of inmates when guards were not on duty.
It is crucial for us to obtain all the means required to combat this issue.
Sterling has put in place 50-foot nets surrounding his facility, cleared trees to prevent drones from escaping after being dropped, installed advanced metal detection systems, and has worked alongside the Justice Department in several prosecutions of employees for the smuggling of cell phones.
In our phone discussion, Sterling emphasized, "This is indeed a war. We must ensure we have all the resources at our disposal to fight this battle."
Sterling's moment of clarity was brought about by the shooting of a correctional officer. On March 5, 2010, Captain Robert Johnson was at his home in Sumter, South Carolina, when a gunman entered and shot him six times at close range with a .38-caliber revolver. The assailant, Robert Odell Brown, 33, had been killed in February during an inmate altercation at the Lee County
The attack was executed by the Lee County Correctional Facility through the use of a cell phone. Since that time, Sterling has been engaged in efforts to integrate jammers into correctional facilities.
Another option to consider instead of jamming is the use of small box antennas, which are economical, costing approximately $400, and can cover a block with about 10 units. The boxes must be interconnected; however, once the system is operational, all phones will automatically connect to these antennas, preventing signals from leaving the enclosed yard. Levitan explained that this approach can block calls without the aggressive force of jamming technology, provided that the facility actively monitors the equipment.
The analysis shows that the operating costs for both controlled access systems and jamming are minimal, with controlled access being a more adaptable tool for blocking cell phone signals. The study highlights that correctional facilities would require a precision-based jamming system, which entails greater financial investment.
A Tennessee congressman is calling for the prohibition of illegal cell phone usage among inmates, arguing that such devices enable the planning of violent acts, the operation of drug rings, and the management of criminal enterprises.
Representative David Kustoff (R-Tenn.) is planning to introduce a bill in the upcoming congressional session that would facilitate the use of cell phone jamming technology in state penitentiaries.
The ability of cell phone jammer to block cell phone signals is recognized; however, their application has been restricted in state prisons due to the provisions of the 1934 federal Communications Act, which predates the invention of cell phones.
While introducing similar legislation last year, Rep. Kustoff remarked to his fellow Congress members, "This technology is intended to protect inmates, correctional officers, and the general public." He further asserted that "State attorneys general across the nation have identified contraband cell phones in prisons as one of the most significant threats to public safety that prison administrators are currently dealing with."
It has been reported by correctional experts that inmates throughout the country have employed contraband cell phones to engage in dangerous criminal activities while in prison. Kustoff provided an example from Tennessee, where an inmate used a cell phone to arrange a drug deal, which involved sending a bag of meth to his girlfriend.
In a session on Wednesday, State Senator Jackson informed both lawmakers and Tennessee Department of Corrections Director Frank Strada that Representative Kustoff is evaluating the interest in the bill from the leaders of the state's correctional institutions. Strada indicated his complete backing of the measure.
Strada expressed, "The jamming of a cell phone will ultimately convert it into a non-functional object, akin to a brick, in a prison environment. I believe I speak on behalf of many correctional officers, whether at the state, federal, or local level, who regard jamming as a vital support mechanism in our correctional facilities."
Over the years, there has been a concerted effort by state legislators to legislate against the possession of banned cell phones in prisons. A notable bill introduced in 2021 by former Senator Paul Ross (R-Kingston) and former Representative Brandon Ogles (R-Franklin) sought to establish that possessing a cell phone as an inmate would be classified as a Class E felony.
Representative Kustoff is preparing to propose a cell phone jamming bill in the next session of Congress. He has conveyed to state lawmakers that additional Tennessee congressional representatives have signed on in support of the legislation. Kustoff has previously championed similar bills, the latest being last year, but that effort did not advance beyond the committee level.