Hilton’s jail time: at least 23 days

Paris Hilton will spend at least 23 days behind bars for violating her probation but will do her time separate from the general inmate population, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials said Wednesday.

The decision, which was made by jail officials after reviewing her case file, involves significantly less time than the 45 days that she was sentenced to serve, but more than other celebrities have served for similar misdeeds. She will not serve the entire sentence, they said, because the state allows time off for good behavior.

Sheriff’s Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said jailers had decided that because of her fame, Hilton would be kept off limits from the rest of the inmates at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood.

Rather, she will live in the “special needs housing unit” that is reserved for police officers, public officials, celebrities and other high-profile inmates. The unit contains 12 two-person cells.

The department warned paparazzi and tabloids against trying to infiltrate the facility for what is expected to be much-wanted photos of Hilton behind bars.

“This is not an e-ticket ride at Disneyland. This is a serious matter,” Whitmore said. “Anyone who takes advantage of this situation will face appropriate consequences.”

But some tabloids probably will try.

Tabloids and TV magazine shows will pay handsomely for photos of Hilton behind bars, said Gary Morgan, chief executive of SplashNewsonline.com, one of the largest paparazzi operations.

“If anyone has pictures of Paris inside, they’ll be worth a fortune,” he said. “It would be difficult. I don’t know what anyone could get in there [to take a picture] ... [But] they smuggle in all kinds of drugs and stuff.”

Frank Griffin, co-owner of the Bauer-Griffin photo agency, said he expected that any photos of Hilton behind bars would come from insiders and not from a paparazzo somehow getting inside.

“People will try to get the photo any way they can. Wardens, guards, anyone working inside will most probably get the photo,” Griffin said. “Paris finding Jesus in a fetal position with a half-eaten bologna sandwich would probably get $200,000.”

Maybe it would fetch $500,000 “if you could see the tears,” he said.

But a photo may pale in comparison to what the story from Hilton’s cellmate could bring.

“The big money is in being her roommate,” he said.

Hilton pleaded no contest to driving under the influence after she was pulled over in Hollywood on Sept. 7 by Los Angeles Police Department officers for speeding and making an illegal left turn.

After she failed a field sobriety test, Hilton had her license suspended but continued to drive, violating the terms of her probation.

She was pulled over three times by officers from three different law enforcement agencies during the period of her suspension.

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge sentenced her to 45 days in jail -- a punishment Hilton said was too harsh and has vowed to appeal. Her backers have asked Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to pardon her.

Whitmore insisted that the department would treat Hilton like any other inmate, saying that she is owed time off for good behavior.

“She will do fine if she follows the rules,” he said.

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andrew.blankstein@latimes.com

richard.winton@latimes.com