Reporter Pleads Guilty in Theft of Voice Mail

A fired newspaper reporter pleaded guilty Thursday to intercepting voice mail from the Chiquita banana company for a series of stories in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Three months ago, the newspaper fired the reporter, Michael Gallagher, renounced the series, apologized to Chiquita on the front page and paid the fruit exporter $10 million.

Gallagher, 40, could get up to 2 1/2 years in prison and a $7,500 fine at sentencing March 19. He pleaded guilty to felony charges that he tapped into the electronic communications system of Chiquita Brands International Inc.

Gallagher had no comment in court or as he left.

A grand jury is investigating the alleged theft of electronic communications and other proprietary material from Chiquita, which is based in Cincinnati.

Last week, a former Chiquita lawyer in Honduras was indicted in the case and pleaded not guilty.

The newspaper, owned by the Gannett Co., fired Gallagher on June 26 on the suspicion that he stole voice mail for a series of stories in May questioning Chiquita’s business practices in Latin America.

Chiquita sued Gallagher on July 3, accusing him of defamation and other offenses, including stealing thousands of voice-mail messages with the help of three current or former Chiquita employees.