Hacker sentenced to three years in prison for stealing Nintendo secrets and possession of child abuse images Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Hacker sentenced to three years in prison for stealing Nintendo secrets and possession of child abuse images Gained information on the Switch ahead of release. News by Wesley Yin-Poole Deputy Editorial Director Updated on 2 Dec 2020 35 comments A hacker who stole Nintendo secrets and was found to be in possession of child abuse images has been sentenced to three years in prison. 21-year-old Californian hacker Ryan S. Hernandez, aka Ryan West, who used the online name "RyanRocks", was sentenced to three years in prison this week in the US District Court in Seattle for crimes relating to hacking and possession of child abuse images, the United States Department of Justice announced. In 2016, Hernandez and an associate used a phishing technique to steal credentials of a Nintendo employee. These credentials were used to gain access to and download confidential Nintendo files, including information about the upcoming Nintendo Switch. This was then leaked to the public. Watch on YouTube Can anything be done to stop the PS5 and Xbox Series X scalpers? The FBI investigated, and contacted Hernandez and his parents at their Californian home in October 2017. At the time, Hernandez promised to stop hacking, but, according to the Department of Justice, from at least June 2018 to June 2019, he hacked into multiple Nintendo servers and stole confidential information about games, consoles and developer tools. He then boasted about his exploits online, including on Twitter and Discord, and leaked some of the information to others. The Department of Justice said Hernandez operated a forum called "Ryan's Underground Hangout" in which he and others discussed the Nintendo information and shared data about possible Nintendo network vulnerabilities. In June 2019, the FBI agents searched Hernandez's home and seized his electronic devices, discovering thousands of confidential Nintendo files. Agents also found Hernandez had used the internet to collect more than 1000 videos and images of child abuse in a folder labelled "Bad Stuff". Hernandez pleaded guilty in January 2020. At the sentencing hearing US District Judge John C. Coughenour recommended Hernandez be incarcerated at a Bureau of Prisons facility for inmates with cognitive challenges, and ordered he be placed on seven years of supervised release following prison. He will also have to register as a sex offender. Hernandez agreed to pay $259,323 in restitution to Nintendo. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 3 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 10 Latest Articles Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 3 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store