'Die Hard' Director Pleads Guilty in Pellicano Case

By Andrew Blankstein
Times Staff Writer

4:06 PM PDT, April 17, 2006

Director John McTiernan pleaded guilty today to charges that he lied to the FBI in the unfolding federal investigation of wiretapping and other alleged wrongdoing by Hollywood private eye Anthony Pellicano.

When he is sentenced on July 31, McTiernan faces five years in prison, three years' probation and a $250,000 fine. He was expected to remain free on a $50,000 bond until sentencing.

In his afternoon appearance, McTiernan pleaded guilty to a single felony count of lying to a federal agent. The famous film director whose credits include "Predator" bowed his head and tapped the lectern as he entered his plea before U.S. District Court Judge Dale S. Fischer.

McTiernan is the sixth person to plead guilty in the burgeoning investigation of Pellicano, who is accused of directing a racketeering enterprise that unlawfully wiretapped and conducted illegal background checks on dozens of celebrities and executives. Among them were actor Sylvester Stallone, comedians Garry Shandling and Kevin Nealon and real estate developer Robert Maguire.

In a two-page document made public last month, federal prosecutors alleged that McTiernan, 55, whose directing credits also include "Die Hard," lied about having hired Pellicano to wiretap veteran film producer Charles Roven. McTiernan and Roven worked together on "Rollerball."

Today, McTiernan said that he did not know that Pellicano had used illegal wiretaps in any investigation.