Pellicano sentenced to 15 years in prison

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- A federal judge in Los Angeles Monday sentenced former celebrity private detective Anthony Pellicano to 15 years in prison.

U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer also ordered the ex-private eye and two other defendants to forfeit $2 million, Variety.com said.

Pellicano, 64, was convicted earlier this year of 78 counts of wiretapping, racketeering, conspiracy and wire fraud in two separate trials, during which he represented himself.

During his first trial, Hollywood studio boss Brad Grey, attorney Bert Fields, former power broker Michael Ovitz, director John McTiernan, producer Charles Roven and comedian Chris Rock testified about their connections to Pellicano, while Garry Shandling and Kevin Nealon took the stand to recount how Pellicano had illegally investigated them via wiretapping and police database searches.

Pellicano was also convicted in a second trial of wiretapping billionaire Kirk Kerkorian's ex-wife during the former couple's child-support battle.