Prosecutors cite a low-tech device called the Telesleuth in the federal racketeering indictment against Hollywood private eye Anthony Pellicano.

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The indictment returned by a federal grand jury says Pellicano helped develop the voice recording machine that turns conversations into digital computer files, then used it to spy on celebrities and other people in illegal wiretaps, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.

Pellicano tried to trademark the Telesleuth in 1995, describing it on his application as "computer hardware and computer software which will be used for the monitoring and/or recording and subsequent playback of telecommunications."

He did not follow through with the trademark procedure, the Times said.

A spokesman for the law firm Pellicano hired to obtain his trademark said the Telesleuth was "specifically intended to be marketed to law enforcement officials."

Software developer Kevin Kachikian, who was allegedly hired by Pellicano to produce Telesleuth, is free on $100,000 bail after pleading guilty to several charges including destruction of computer files, hardware and software related to the device.