Feds give LulzSec leader 'Sabu' six-month sentencing reprieve

Former LulzSec leader Hector Xavier Monsegur, who was known as Sabu, has won a six-month reprieve in sentencing due to his continued cooperation with law enforcement.

According to Wired, Monsegur was offered a six-month reprieve from being sentenced on 12 counts of violating federal law, due to his continued cooperation with federal law enforcement.

It posted a letter from Preet Bharara, US attorney for the Southern District of New York, who requested a six-month adjournment of the sentencing control date in light of his ‘cooperation with the government', which Monsegur also consented to.

However it was not clear from the court filing whether Monsegur continues to be active online or is simply aiding the government in its prosecutions of those already arrested. If convicted, he could face a maximum 124-year sentence after he pleaded guilty to 12 federal offences, including conspiracy to commit computer hacking, and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

According to Bharara's letter, Monsegur's sentencing is now scheduled for 22nd February 2013.

A report by The Smoking Gun stated that Monsegur was scheduled to appear in court in Manhattan in April for criminal impersonation charges, but was a no-show for his arraignment due to worries about his physical safety.

It was revealed that Monsegur had pleaded guilty on 15th  August in a US District Court to 12 counts of computer hacking conspiracies and other crimes. This information was withheld until March when five members of LulzSec were arrested.

Among the charges were the hacking of Fox Broadcasting Company, Sony Pictures Entertainment and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Charges have also been made over the attacks on Fine Gael, a political party in Ireland, and on security firms HBGary and its affiliate HBGary Federal, and Stratfor.

A report by Fox News claimed that the arrests were largely made based on evidence gathered by Monsegur, with sources saying he has been secretly working for the US government for months as a cooperating witness.

This article originally appeared at scmagazineuk.com