A federal judge sentenced Chris Correra, the former scouting director of the St. Louis Cardinals, to 46 months in federal prison for hacking the Houston Astros’ player personnel database and email system in an unusual case of high-tech cheating involving two Major League Baseball clubs.

Christopher Correa had pleaded guilty in January to five counts of unauthorized access of a protected computer from 2013 to at least 2014, the same year he was promoted to director of baseball development in St. Louis. He was fired last summer and now faces 46 months behind bars and a court order to pay $279,038 in restitution. He had faced up to five years in prison on each count.

Correa read a letter in court before he was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Lynn Hughes and he said he was “overwhelmed with remorse and regret for my actions.”

“I violated my values and it was wrong … I behaved shamefully,” he said. “The whole episode represents the worst thing I’ve done in my life by far.”

Cardinals Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. released a statement on behalf of the club.

“While today’s sentencing of Chris Correa marks the end of the Government’s investigation, we also understand that the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball will now conduct its own investigation of this matter.  As we did with the Government during its investigation, we intend to fully cooperate with the Commissioner’s Office in connection with its investigation so that this matter can finally be resolved.  Pending the outcome of the Commissioner’s investigation, we will have no further comment.”