Hollywood Private Detective May Be Indicted For Alleged Wiretapping
Suspect Accused Of Hiring Man To Threaten Times Reporter
POSTED: 9:15 a.m. PST March 13, 2003
LOS ANGELES -- Federal prosecutors said a Hollywood private detective may be indicted on charges of widespread wiretapping and witness intimidation following his arrest on unrelated weapons charges.
FBI agents have secured the names of various people who allegedly hired Anthony Pellicano to conduct illicit wiretaps or secure the silence of potential witnesses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Saunders said the FBI identified the computer software Pellicano allegedly used to tap into telephones, his contact at the telephone company and a corrupt law enforcement officer who assisted him.
Pellicano, 58, was arrested and released in November after he posted $400,000 bond, following a probe into allegations that he hired a man to threaten a Los Angeles Times reporter researching a story about an alleged Mafia extortion plot targeting actor Steven Seagal.
Alexander Proctor was charged with threatening a Times reporter, who was investigating a relationship between actor Steven Seagal and a reputed Mafia associate. Proctor was accused of planting a dead fish, a rose and a sign reading "Stop," on her car.
Proctor allegedly told an FBI informant that he had been hired by Pellicano to carry out the threat on behalf of Seagal. Pellicano and Seagal have denied involvement, and neither has been charged with trying to threaten the reporter.
Saunders made the new disclosures Wednesday during an unsuccessful prosecution attempt to revoke Pellicano's $400,000 bail on an unrelated charge of possessing explosives.
Pellicano's defense attorney, Donald Re, responded angrily to Saunder's allegations, calling them baseless and "around the bend." He accused the government of waging a vendetta against his client.
"Make them prove these allegations," Re told the judge, "because they can't."
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Suspect Accused Of Hiring Man To Threaten Times Reporter
POSTED: 9:15 a.m. PST March 13, 2003
LOS ANGELES -- Federal prosecutors said a Hollywood private detective may be indicted on charges of widespread wiretapping and witness intimidation following his arrest on unrelated weapons charges.
FBI agents have secured the names of various people who allegedly hired Anthony Pellicano to conduct illicit wiretaps or secure the silence of potential witnesses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Saunders said the FBI identified the computer software Pellicano allegedly used to tap into telephones, his contact at the telephone company and a corrupt law enforcement officer who assisted him.
Pellicano, 58, was arrested and released in November after he posted $400,000 bond, following a probe into allegations that he hired a man to threaten a Los Angeles Times reporter researching a story about an alleged Mafia extortion plot targeting actor Steven Seagal.
Alexander Proctor was charged with threatening a Times reporter, who was investigating a relationship between actor Steven Seagal and a reputed Mafia associate. Proctor was accused of planting a dead fish, a rose and a sign reading "Stop," on her car.
Proctor allegedly told an FBI informant that he had been hired by Pellicano to carry out the threat on behalf of Seagal. Pellicano and Seagal have denied involvement, and neither has been charged with trying to threaten the reporter.
Saunders made the new disclosures Wednesday during an unsuccessful prosecution attempt to revoke Pellicano's $400,000 bail on an unrelated charge of possessing explosives.
Pellicano's defense attorney, Donald Re, responded angrily to Saunder's allegations, calling them baseless and "around the bend." He accused the government of waging a vendetta against his client.
"Make them prove these allegations," Re told the judge, "because they can't."
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