David C. Kernell, Email Hacking, Tennessee 2010
Knoxville, Tennessee Man Caught Red-Handed in High-Profile Hacking Case
A 23-year-old Knoxville, Tennessee man has been sentenced to one year and one day in prison for hacking into the personal email account of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.
David C. Kernell was found guilty of one count of misdemeanor unauthorized access to obtain information from a computer and one count of obstruction of justice after a week-long trial in April 2010.
According to evidence presented at trial, Kernell obtained unauthorized access to Palin's email account on September 16, 2008, by resetting the account password. He then read the contents of the account, made screenshots, and posted them to a public website.
Kernell also posted the new email account password he had created, providing access to the account for others. The FBI launched an investigation into the hacking incident, and Kernell became aware of the possible investigation on September 16, 2008. In an attempt to impede the investigation, Kernell began deleting records and documents.
U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Phillips imposed the one-year and one-day prison sentence, along with a three-year term of supervised release. The judge recommended that Kernell serve his sentence at the Midway Sanction Center, but noted that the Bureau of Prisons would make the final decision.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Krotoski and Greg Weddle, with significant assistance from CCIPS Trial Attorney Josh Goldfoot. The FBI's Anchorage and Knoxville field offices investigated the case.
David C. Kernell, 23, of Knoxville, Tennessee, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison for intentionally accessing without authorization the email account of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and obstruction of justice.
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: David C. Kernell
Exact Criminal Charges: Misdemeanor unauthorized access to obtain information from a computer and obstruction of justice
City and State: Knoxville, Tennessee
Exact Date: September 16, 2008, and April 30, 2010
Sentence: One year and one day in prison, with a three-year term of supervised release
Key Facts
- State: Alaska
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →