Related News
LA private eye pleads no contest in threat case
Source: Agencies |
October 24, 2009, Saturday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
FORMER Hollywood private eye Anthony Pellicano and an associate pleaded no contest yesterday to threatening a newspaper reporter who was working on a story about actor Steven Seagal's possible ties to organized crime.
Pellicano and Alexander Proctor entered their pleas in Superior Court and were sentenced to the maximum three years in prison for leaving a dead fish for then-Los Angeles Times reporter Anita Busch, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office said. A conspiracy charge was dismissed against the two as a result of their pleas.
"It's been a long time... for this to come to justice," Busch said. "I'm very glad to know that people can't threaten journalists in this country and get away with it."
According to court papers, Pellicano hired Proctor in 2002 to intimidate Busch, who found a bullet-sized hole on the windshield of her car along with a dead fish, a rose and a note with the word "Stop."
Busch told authorities she believed the threat stemmed from a story she was putting together on Seagal and his former producing partner, Julius Nasso. Earlier that year, Nasso was indicted with New York mob figures for plotting to extort money from Seagal.
Seagal denied hiring Pellicano and was never charged in the case.
The investigation led federal authorities to raid Pellicano's offices, where they found explosives, and he was later convicted of weapons charges. The raids also led to a federal wiretapping case. Pellicano was accused of wiretapping stars such as Sylvester Stallone and bribing police officers to run names of people, including comedian Garry Shandling, through law enforcement databases.
Authorities also found information on Busch containing her physical description, home address and the license plate number of her car, prosecutors said.
Pellicano was convicted of 78 counts including wiretapping, racketeering and wire fraud in two separate trials last year. He is serving 15 years in federal prison.
Proctor is serving 10 years on unrelated drug charges. The terms issued yesterday by Superior Court Judge William N. Sterling will be served concurrently with their remaining prison sentences.
Pellicano and Alexander Proctor entered their pleas in Superior Court and were sentenced to the maximum three years in prison for leaving a dead fish for then-Los Angeles Times reporter Anita Busch, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office said. A conspiracy charge was dismissed against the two as a result of their pleas.
"It's been a long time... for this to come to justice," Busch said. "I'm very glad to know that people can't threaten journalists in this country and get away with it."
According to court papers, Pellicano hired Proctor in 2002 to intimidate Busch, who found a bullet-sized hole on the windshield of her car along with a dead fish, a rose and a note with the word "Stop."
Busch told authorities she believed the threat stemmed from a story she was putting together on Seagal and his former producing partner, Julius Nasso. Earlier that year, Nasso was indicted with New York mob figures for plotting to extort money from Seagal.
Seagal denied hiring Pellicano and was never charged in the case.
The investigation led federal authorities to raid Pellicano's offices, where they found explosives, and he was later convicted of weapons charges. The raids also led to a federal wiretapping case. Pellicano was accused of wiretapping stars such as Sylvester Stallone and bribing police officers to run names of people, including comedian Garry Shandling, through law enforcement databases.
Authorities also found information on Busch containing her physical description, home address and the license plate number of her car, prosecutors said.
Pellicano was convicted of 78 counts including wiretapping, racketeering and wire fraud in two separate trials last year. He is serving 15 years in federal prison.
Proctor is serving 10 years on unrelated drug charges. The terms issued yesterday by Superior Court Judge William N. Sterling will be served concurrently with their remaining prison sentences.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
