Pellicano Gets 15 Years

Anthony Pellicano, convicted earlier this year of running an illegal wiretapping operation for clients that included Hollywood celebrities, has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars. The sentence was 10 years longer than the Probation Department’s recommendation. Prosecutors said Pellicano, 64, “violated fundamental privacy rights of hundreds of people and chipped away at the integrity of public institutions,” and he “continues to show nothing but pride for the criminal enterprise he ran.” U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer agreed. She condemned Pellicano’s "reprehensible" conduct and called him a “high-priced thief.” She added, "He did this eagerly, sometimes maliciously, and with pride." Among the Hollywood private eye’s clients were Tom Cruise, Michael Jackson, and Chris Rock. His victims included Sylvester Stallone and Keith Carradine.