A California pornography producer who once dared the nation's top law enforcement officer to charge him pleaded guilty today in federal court in Pittsburgh, short-circuiting a potential showdown over free-speech rights.

Rob Zicari, 35, of Northridge, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute obscene material through the mail. His wife, Janet Romano, 32, and their former company, Extreme Associates Inc. of North Hollywood, pleaded guilty to the same charge. Nine other obscenity counts against each defendant will be dropped.

U.S. District Judge Gary L. Lancaster scheduled sentencing for July 1. Zicari and Romano — known in the adult film industry as Rob Black and Lizzy Borden — could spend between 10 and 33 months in prison.

"We knew this was the right case to bring from the day we brought it," said U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan. "This case has essentially put Extreme Associates out of business and other producers on notice."

In a 2002 PBS Frontline documentary, "American Porn," Zicari challenged then-U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft to charge him.

Zicari and Romano made hardcore films that depicted kidnappings, rapes and murder as well as other violence and degradation toward women.

"This was in the best interest for all parties involved," said defense attorney H. Louis Sirkin of Cincinnati. "This has gone on for a long time, and everybody wants to move on with their lives."

A grand jury indicted the couple and their company in August 2003 after federal agents in Western Pennsylvania ordered three films through the mail and downloaded six video clips through the company's Web site. Lancaster dismissed the case, but the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed his decision.

Trial was set to begin Monday.

The adult film industry was looking forward to free-speech issues being explored at trial, said Marc Kerns, a senior editor at Adult Video News. He called the plea deals "saddening."

"It was the right case because Extreme Associates was in fact a pretty extreme company," Kerns said. "It wasn't anything I wanted to watch myself, but I believe they had the right to make it."

It was the second loss of a federal obscenity case in less than a year for the adult film industry.

In August, a federal judge in Tampa sentenced pornography producer Paul Little, also known as Max Hardcore, to 46 months in prison on 20 obscenity charges.

How successful the Extreme Associates case ultimately proves will depend on the sentences, said Robert Peters, president of the anti-obscenity group Morality in Media.

"Pornography is creeping more and more into popular culture, and that's because people haven't been enforcing obscenity laws," Peters said. "But these cases help."

In a video interview following the indictment, Zicari promised a fight to the end.

"We will not go away," he said. "We will not make a deal. We will not cop a plea."

Today, Zicari was more subdued, his voice low and hushed as he said "yes, your honor" and "no, your honor" to Lancaster's questions. Romano, a former porn actress, sobbed throughout her hearing.

Neither spoke as they left the courtroom.

Sirkin said most of the brash statements were made as Black, Zicari's fictional character.

"Rob's an in-depth individual and a very sweet man, and Janet is a very sweet woman," Sirkin said.