Wednesday, November 4, 2009

A former phone company employee has been convicted of lying to FBI agents and a federal grand jury investigating wiretapping allegations against Hollywood private investigator Anthony Pellicano.

Joann Wiggan of Burbank was found guilty Monday of three counts. She faces up to 15 years in prison.

Prosecutors say Wiggan was an phone company employee who gave information from confidential company databases to former co-worker Ray Turner. They say he used that information to help Pellicano illegally tap the phones of several Hollywood figures.

Wiggan was acquitted in 2006 of four perjury charges but jurors deadlocked on a fifth. New charges were later filed.

Pellicano and Turner were convicted last year of conspiracy, wiretapping, and other charges.