Former St. Louis Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa plead guilty to five criminal charges in relation to hacking the Houston Astros database on Friday.
Last June, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow, a former Cardinals employee, said that the team had been hacked. Correa was accused of improperly downloading an Excel file of the Astros scouting list in 2013, and viewing Astros notes of trade discussions, the Astros main draft page, and a scouting page that had information on the Astros prospects, according to the Associated Press.
The Justice Department said that Correa illegally accessed the information before the amateur drafts and the trade deadline. Correa, who denied any illegal activity when he was first investigated, was fired by the Cardinals last July.
“Yes, your honor, I accept responsibility for my mistakes,” Correa said when asked to confirm his plea, Sporting News notes. He called his actions “stupid.”
Federal attorneys placed a $1.7 million value on the information that Correa got from hacking the Astros database. Correa gave up his right to appeal and decided to not give the case to a grand jury. The maximum penalty for each of the five counts that Correa plead guilty to is up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and restitution, according to MLB.com.
The Cardinals haven’t released the results of their investigation yet and they could face penalties from Major League Baseball.
Correa will be sentenced on April 11, which is when the Cardinals have their home opener.