Anonymous Hacker Who Exposed Rape Faces More Prison Time Than the Actual Rapists

The Anonymous-affiliated Hacker who helped expose cover-up in the Steubenville rape case faces more jail time than the actual rapists.

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Complex Original

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One of the hackers who helped to expose a cover-up involved with the 2013 Steubenville, Ohio rape case has pleaded not-guilty to four felony counts of hacking, charges for which he faces more jail time than the actual convicted rapists served. Deric Lostutter is affiliated with the hacktivist group Anonymous, according to Mic​, and could be sentenced to up to 16 years in prison. The rapists, Ma'lik Richmond and Trent Mays, were given minimum sentences and were released from juvenile detention after less than one year and two years, respectively. 

The Steubenville rape case garnered extensive national attention in 2013, when Anonymous leaked images and video made by high school football players who had filmed themselves raping an incapacitated 16-year-old girl in 2012. The students who committed the rape not only filmed it, but shared text messages and images of their crime. It was later also discovered that members of the high school staff had helped to cover up the rape to protect the rapists.

It's been three years since Lostutter, a self-described anti-rape activist, helped to expose the rape, and he's now facing felony charges from the U.S. Attorney's office for the Eastern District of Kentucky, according to Mic. Lostutter told Mic this week he believes he is facing the charges for the role he played in exposing rape culture: "They want to make an example out of me. For exposing a cover-up."

Lostutter is charged with hacking RollRedRoll.com, a local football fan site that held email exchanges revealing the rape was being covered up by the school's administration. Noah McHugh, another hacker also charged with hacking the site, was also charged and plead guilty last week. 

Lostutter, a key member of the hacker group KnightSec, has also gone after revenge-porn publisher Hunter Moore and the Westboro Baptist Church. Lostutter's trial is set to begin November 8. 

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