RALEIGH, N.C. -- Wireless Internet is becoming more and more popular, and with it come new ways for criminals to take advantage of others.

The first conviction in the nation for wireless cyber crimes came down in North Carolina Tuesday.

Clayton Dillard, 29, of Holly Springs, pleaded guilty to hacking into patient records at Wake Internal Medicine Consultants.

Dillard said he broke the law to prove a point that confidential medical records are vulnerable to computer hackers.

Police said Dillard crossed the line by hacking into more than 2,000 patient files.

"No matter what your intentions are, there is a point that experiment and research stops and criminal activities start," said Patrick Nieman of the Raleigh Police Department.

Police said Dillard used a laptop to break into computers. They said Dillard's guilty plea marks the first time anyone in the United States has been convicted of the crime.

"Moral relativism has no place in this. He violated the law," Nieman said.

On Sept. 9, Wake Internal Medicine Executive Director Steve Lauhoff told WRAL-TV the network is now protected.

"We made the correction and our network, I can say with confidence, is to the highest industry standard right now."

Dillard was sentenced to 18 months probation and ordered to pay $10,000 in fines.