Ryan Hernandez sentenced to 3 years in prison after hacking Nintendo and possessing illegal images

SpencerlyEverly · Dec 2, 2020

Lessons will never be learned... while I don’t know Ryan personally (Just from his probably dead YT channel n’ stuff) I knew something like this will happen after that E3 Zelda: BoTW thing.

Honestly as for me, on the child porn thing, he should’ve been in jail for longer due to that. -_-

Subtle Demise · Dec 2, 2020

Ericzander said:
Well, he certainly wasn't just thrown in prison for sarcastic shit talk. I found a post on Reddit from 2 years ago summarizing the case of United States v. Joshua Brandon.

I'll post it in the spoiler tag below for people who are curious about that case, but it's totally unrelated to the case of Ryan Hernandez that this thread is about.

The FBI's forensic examiner, who testified at Pillault's sentencing, performed an examination of Pillault's computer and found numerous documents pertaining to the creation of bombs and other explosive devices. Pillault's computer also had folders entitled “columbine” and “serialkiller,” which contained pictures relating to the Columbine shooting and other high-profile serial killers. The forensic examiner also found evidence that Pillault had searched on YouTube.com for “Super Columbine Massacre RPG,” a game that recreated the Columbine Massacre. In addition, Pillault had searched on YouTube and Google for instructions on how to make a sawed-off shotgun and information about Molotov cocktails.

Part 1

The first witness was Dr. Heather Ross, a forensic psychologist who was ordered by the district court to complete a psychiatric examination of Pillault and to report on mental illness, treatment options, and risk assessment. Dr. Ross testified that Pillault started using drugs and alcohol at the age of fourteen and that prior to his arrest he smoked marijuana and drank vodka every day. Dr. Ross discussed Pillault's mental history and explained that Pillault had previously attempted suicide and was hospitalized for aggression and depression. Dr. Ross concluded that “should Mr. Pillault continue to abuse substances his risk for future dangerousness ․ is moderate to high risk; but would be much lower if he was to be able to avoid using substances in the future.”

Part 2

The district court also heard testimony from two of Pillault's ex-girlfriends, whom we will refer to as GF1 and GF2. GF1, who started spending a significant amount of time with Pillault in the eleventh grade, testified about his aggressive tendencies and described him as a bully who frequently got into fights. She testified that Pillault was obsessed with Columbine and that he admired Dylan Klebold, one of the shooters involved in the Columbine massacre. According to GF1, Pillault planned to attack Oxford High School and drew specific plans in a notebook detailing how he would carry out the attack. GF1 claimed that Pillault warned her not to go to school on April 20, the anniversary of the Columbine shooting. GF1 also testified that on one occasion, Pillault asked her to take him to Home Depot, where he purchased a long copper pipe that he said he later used to make a pipe bomb.

GF2 testified that she had known Pillault since the fifth grade and that she was dating him during the months surrounding his arrest. GF2 agreed that Pillault was obsessed with Columbine and claimed that he frequently threatened to reenact Columbine at Oxford High School. She believed that Pillault's threats were serious and that he truly wanted to go through with the attack. According to GF2, Pillault had a few specific plans for how he would initiate his attack, one of which involved breaking through the glass walls of the school's cafeteria using pipe bombs and smoke bombs. GF2 claimed that Pillault planned to save up money to buy guns and that she and Pillault went to Wal–Mart to look at gun prices. GF2 testified that on one occasion, Pillault tried to make a bomb out of a glass Sprite bottle, which he filled with kerosene. GF2 testified that she had known Pillault since the fifth grade and that she was dating him during the months surrounding his arrest.

Part 3(Think this did the biggest damage)

Given that the guy had a history making these threats, mental/addiction issues which manifested themselves into aggression and depression bouts, and had done some research into making molotv cocktails and sawed-off shotgun made him a very possible risk which the courts acted strictly against.

So the courts made a case and somehow a successful conviction based entirely on circumstantial evidence. I'd probably serve a decade for the materials on my computer if that's all it takes to secure a conviction for a crime that didn't even happen yet, and may have never happened in the future.

Ericzander said:
I just want to point out that in the same paragraph you made a blanket judgement about Americans before denouncing people for making blanket judgements.

You see why that's hypocritical, right?

Anyway, those arguing for the death penalty in this case are ignorant to the fact that the death penalty would be unconstitutional in this case.

But on the other hand it doesn't make sense to argue that the man with dubious ethics that pled guilty to having child porn did not in fact have child porn. You'd think if they were planted that argument would at the very least come up in court.

Ericzander said:
I'm going to say it again for the people in the back.

He pled guilty to possession of child porn. He never even argued that it was planted. There's no reason to believe it was planted.

Is it so hard to believe that this man who repeatedly ignored warnings for doing illegal things online ALSO was in possession of child porn? Especially when there is no evidence (or even an argument stated in court) to the contrary?

Well, it doesn't matter if it's hard to believe (it's not) because he pled guilty to it. I don't understand why anyone would think it's a conspiracy when there's not a single indication that it was.

A guilty plea does not mean the person actually did it necessarily. Plenty of innocent people get coerced into pleading guilty thinking it will help them somehow. Plenty of guilty people plead not guilty even when the evidence is damning. A plea is not evidence in and if itself. I'm not saying either way what happened, but it is suspicious that it's only the Nintendo hackers who get caught with CP, maybe the Nintendo fanbase is just more enticing to those people? Now the police and government aren't above planting evidence and trumping up charges, just look at what they did to Ross Ulbricht. Not saying it's likely, just odd.

m_babble · Dec 2, 2020

I thought this was just about leaking images of Nintendo IP for a second and was like "oh come on!".
Then I saw the other part. Fuck this guy.

Ottoclav · Dec 2, 2020

ChaosEternal said:
It's amazing seeing multiple people hoping this guy either gets raped in prison or killed (or both). I literally cannot think of another class of crime that gets this sort of lynch mob to gather. Poisoning the water supply for profit? Nope. Beating the elderly? Probably not. Mass-killing spree? Not even close. But just breathe the word pedophile (not even child molester, mind you!) and you get a swarm of people all gleefully cheering for the offender to be violently raped and/or killed. It reminds me of the bad old days, when people used to gather in the town square with the family to enjoy hangings and lynchings.

If he were to be raped and/or murder, then he would be the only person directly involved in this case to be physically harmed. Unless he produced those images/videos himself, which we can assume he didn't given that he wasn't charged with any such counts, then he didn't so much as touch a child. There are people who actually do abuse children to produce those images. If you want to see people who possess the images/videos raped and/or killed, then what exactly are we supposed to threaten the actual abusers with? At that point, why would this guy even bother to restrain himself? He'd be killed for it anyway, might as well go abuse an actual kid, right? That's the kind of incentive system that you'd be setting up.

That being said, I am highly surprised that he only got 3 years. Usually US prison sentences are extremely punitive, especially where child pornography charges are concerned. A while back I saw a case where a guy got 30 years for possessing a similar amount of child pornography, I believe it was 6 counts that gave 5 years each. Shortly thereafter I saw a case where a guy got 25 years for violently raping a 5 year old. Makes sense, right?

Some of these people are wondering why he only got three years, and some are wondering if the material was planted, and if it was, why he pled guilty? Umm, cuz 3 years could equal a plea bargain? I know television is a horrible way to base knowledge of court proceedings, but has the public forgotten all the fiction we watch on TV could actually be based on reality? I dunno. If he is a pedo, then so be it. If he isn't, then he is just getting the fruits of his multiple infractions. Either way, he brought it on himself. I don't think prison violence should be put on anybody, though.

Raylight · Dec 2, 2020

x65943 said:
Poor guy, especially considering he has cognitive disability. You do have to wonder how someone at Nintendo got fooled by a guy in that situation tho.

if he is in possession of such stuff i doubt he is stupid

banjo2 · Dec 2, 2020

Valery0p said:
Oh yeah, I was there when he leaked ugopwn, oh the cringe; almost destroyed the Dsi scene and claimed the bounty IIRC, but thankfully shutterbug found something better ultimately.
As for everything else he has done, I'm happy justice has run its course. Always be careful online...

I thought that was someone else?
Edit: read here https://gbatemp.net/entry/psa-user-...-as-leaked-a-dsi-exploit-called-ugopwn.13072/

Enryx25 · Dec 2, 2020

WTF is wrong with many users in this thread?

Valery0p · Dec 2, 2020

banjo2 said:
I thought that was someone else?
Edit: read here https://gbatemp.net/entry/psa-user-...-as-leaked-a-dsi-exploit-called-ugopwn.13072/

Thanks

JFizDaWiz · Dec 2, 2020

[redacted]

diggeloid · Dec 2, 2020

Ngl the child porn stuff isn't surprising. Idk what it is about Nintendo that attracts so many pedos, creeps, and crazy people. Whenever you see a gathering of adult Nintendo fans, you can bet your ass there will be some pedos, furries, and other weirdos in attendance.

1B51004 · Dec 2, 2020

diggeloid said:
Ngl the child porn stuff isn't surprising. Idk what it is about Nintendo that attracts so many pedos, creeps, and crazy people. Whenever you see a gathering of adult Nintendo fans, you can bet your ass there will be some pedos, furries, and other weirdos in attendance.

Another point is that Nintendo is mainly targeted to kids, not FOR kids (big difference). Nintendo has games for all ages, and most ages can enjoy a game that E10+, but it's mainly going to be kids who are going to enjoy it the most. A Switch or a 3DS with a E10+ game is most likely going to be what a mother is going to buy for her 10- year old child for Christmas (unless she misreads/completely ignores the ESRB rating). If there's a bunch of kids who are attracted to a company who make/ sells games targeted to kids, you're most likely going to have a few nutjobs who are clearly messed up.

jmrodrigues · Dec 2, 2020

Arrested in the US? Better bring lube and prepare psychologically...

GbaNober · Dec 2, 2020

hardheaded and a show off

hippy dave · Dec 2, 2020

Having known most stuff about this case before, the part of this sentencing news that's got me wondering is whether the "cognitive challenges" thing is legit or just something the expensive lawyer wrangled to make things easier on him.

raxadian · Dec 2, 2020

Ericzander said:
Well, it doesn't matter if it's hard to believe (it's not) because he pled guilty to it. I don't understand why anyone would think it's a conspiracy when there's not a single indication that it was.

https://www.theregister.com/2013/01/13/anger_death_aaron_swartz/

Have a nice day!.

wolf-snake · Dec 2, 2020

jmrodrigues said:
Arrested in the US? Better bring lube and prepare psychologically...

He's going to spend 3 wonderful years in Tyrone's babysitting playhouse.

Ericzander · Dec 2, 2020

raxadian said:
https://www.theregister.com/2013/01/13/anger_death_aaron_swartz/

Have a nice day!.

Interesting read. Sorry that he was driven to suicide. Really, that's a tragedy...

But it has nothing to do with anything we were talking about. There's not a single indication in the case at hand that child porn was planted on Hernandez's computer.

Viri · Dec 2, 2020

Imagine only getting 3 years for having child porn, hacking a major company multiple times, and leaking personal info from said company. He must have had a great lawyer, lol.

Subtle Demise · Dec 2, 2020

Viri said:
Imagine only getting 3 years for having child porn, hacking a major company multiple times, and leaking personal info from said company. He must have had a great lawyer, lol.

He was also a minor when a lot of the offenses took place. I remember reading about it the last time he was in the news.

gizmomelb · Dec 2, 2020

peteruk said:
stick them in a cell with some 300lb bubba for some behaviour modification therapy imo.

there are a number of people on here for which that would just be the start of the weekend.

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