AUSTIN (June 26, 2012)—Higinio O. Ochoa III, 30, of Galveston, who hacked Texas Department of Public Safety and other law enforcement agency computers and then bragged about it, has pleaded guilty.

A sentencing date is pending for Ochoa, who faces as much as five years in prison after pleading guilty Monday in federal court in Austin to accessing a protected computer without authorization.

Investigators say Ochoa hacked into computers in February operated by Texas DPS, the West Virginia Chiefs of Police Association, the Alabama Department of Public Safety and Houston County, Ala., and downloaded personal information, deleted data and defaced websites.

Later he boasted about it.

Prosecutors say Ochoa claimed to be part of a group known as Anonymous.

Ochoa remained free on bond on Tuesday.