Prosecutors Seek 3-Year Sentence in 'Celebgate' Hacking Case

Federal prosecutors have recommended a sentence of nearly three years in prison for a former Virginia high school teacher convicted of hacking into private digital accounts of celebrities and others.

Christopher Brannan pleaded guilty in October to aggravated identity theft and unauthorized access to a protected computer. He was the fifth person charged in the 2014 “celebgate” scandal in which hackers obtained nude photographs and other private information from more than 200 people.

Actresses Jennifer Lawrence and Mary Elizabeth Winstead are among the celebrities who said they were victims.

Brannon is a former teacher at Lee-Davis High School in Mechanicsville.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that prosecutors have asked the judge to sentence Brannan to 34 months in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for March 1 in U.S. District Court in Richmond.