Hacking goverment computers in a "critical" time? Are they joking? When would not be a critical time for them then? LOL
I don't think it was his fault if their "defense" was a 4 word password for login! Regarding the "damage" they claim he did, what did he actually do? Or are they reffering to their "forced" action to increase the password to 8 letters or even installing a proper firewall? They should have done that BEFORE someone breaks in, not AFTER! Also the man used a dial-up modem, not even broadband! I can imagine the "security" these systems had!
Give the man a break, give him a hefty fine and a warning and let it go. The so called "government" employees were apparently useless to do their job! The above suggestion of hiring him does not sound bad afterall, does it?
Finally the people who were responsible for the computers' security but apprently they were not, they should serve some jail time and not someone who did manage to login not once, but 3 times in the same systems!? What did they do after his first attempt then? Nothing! Great security!