On Tuesday hacktivist Jeremy Hammond pleaded guilty to involvement in the infamous LulzSec Stratfor hack. His plea agreement, to one violation under the (dangerously broad) Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, is a non-cooperating plea, which could land the 28-year-old with a 10-year sentence.

As noted here earlier this month, three young hackers in Britain convicted of similar charges relating to the Stratfor hack received sentences that pale in comparison to what Hammond faces and highlight the U.S.' overreach when it comes to cybercrime prosecutions. The longest sentence handed down in the U.K. cases carried a maximum of 15 months jail time. Meanwhile, as Hammond expressed in a statement Tuesday, he could have faced 30 years in prison were he to have been found guilty at trial. His supporters and legal team are now asking his presiding judge to hand down a sentence far less harsh than the possible 10 years his plea agreement can carry.

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Hammond, who has already spent 15 months in federal detention (regularly held in isolation) with little access to his loved ones, explained in his statement why he chose to take the plea. Notably, aside from fearing a 30-year sentence, Hammond is now embracing the chance to explain his involvement in the Stratfor hack and the ethics underpinning his actions: