Venezuelan pleads guilty to U.S. military hack

Rafael Nunez-Aponte, known in the defacement world as RaFa, defaced a website through a U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) computer in June 2001.

"As a result of the defendant's transmissions to delete the computer logs, he caused the DISA networked computers to be inoperable for several days," said a statement from the U.S. Attorney in Denver. "Resulting in losses to DISA in an amount which aggregated $10,548 during the period of June 2001."

Nunez-Aponte was a colourful member of the defacing world and a member of the infamous "World of Hell" hacking group. He was arrested earlier this year in Miami International Airport following a four year investigation.

In late April SC reported the hacker community rallied round Nunez-Aponte offering support through website defacements and starting a campaign to "free RaFa."

If found guilty Nunez-Aponte faces up to five years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine for intentional damage to a protected computer. He has asked that $5,170 seized at the time of his arrest be retained by the government and used as restitution.