Sep. 11, 2009 (United Press International) -- U.S. computer hacker Albert Gonzalez pleaded guilty Friday to charges ranging from aggravated identity theft to wire fraud, federal officials said.
The U.S. Justice Department said in a release also among the 19 counts covered in the guilty plea by the 28-year-old Miami man were charges of conspiracy, computer fraud, access device fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Gonzalez was accused in a District of Massachusetts indictment of hacking into computer systems operated by major U.S. retailers such as Barnes & Noble (NYSE:BKS) and OfficeMax (NYSE:OMX) to capture customers' credit and debit card numbers.
The single count of wire fraud from a New York indictment is connected to similar illegal activities by Gonzalez that targeted the Dave & Buster's restaurant chain.
Michael Loucks, acting U.S. attorney for Massachusetts, applauded Friday's guilty plea, which has Gonzalez facing up to 45 years in prison.
"The investigation and prosecution of identity theft is a top priority of the department," Loucks said. "In the past 10 years there has been a dramatic growth in the transfer and storage of credit and debit card data on computer networks."
