Winchester Man Admits Hacking Site to Threaten Teens

Deric Lostutter, 29, of Winchester, Ky., has admitted to orchestrating a malicious hack of a high school athletics website to spread threats, lies, and fear — all in the name of digital notoriety. The breach targeted a fan-run site dedicated to Steubenville High School sports, turning it into a weapon of intimidation and public shaming.

Lostutter pleaded guilty in federal court in Lexington to conspiring to illegally access a computer without authorization and to lying to an FBI agent during a 2013 investigation. His co-conspirator, Noah McHugh, previously pleaded guilty in September 2016 to computer intrusion charges. The two launched the cyberattack in December 2012, exploiting the national spotlight on the rape case involving two Steubenville High football players.

Lostutter didn’t just breach the site — he hijacked it. Wearing a mask, he filmed a threatening video and authored a manifesto that falsely accused the site’s administrator of involvement in child pornography and leading a ‘rape crew.’ He and McHugh posted the content prominently, erased all athletic content, and locked out the rightful owner by changing passwords. They even exposed the administrator’s private emails by posting a public download link.

Their goal wasn’t justice — it was infamy. Lostutter and McHugh used online aliases to promote their actions across social media and in media interviews, framing themselves as hacktivist vigilantes. Their actions amplified public chaos and subjected innocent students and staff to online harassment and fear of exposure.

When the FBI came knocking in 2013, Lostutter doubled down on deception. He lied under oath, denying authorship of the manifesto, claiming he never accessed password-protected areas, and stating he didn’t alter the administrator’s credentials — all directly contradicted by digital evidence.

U.S. Attorney Kerry B. Harvey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Amy Hess announced the guilty plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj Gupta handled prosecution. Lostutter is set for sentencing before Judge Danny C. Reeves on March 8, 2017. Each count carries up to 5 years in prison. The court will weigh federal sentencing guidelines and the full impact of his cyber vendetta before imposing punishment.