Kernell, 20, of Knoxville, Tenn., was arraigned before a federal judge Wednesday, a day after a grand jury of accessing a computer without authorization. Earlier in the day, Kernell turned himself in to the , a Washington, D.C.-based (DOJ) spokeswoman said.
After Kernell pleaded not guilty, he was released on his own recognizance. However, the court imposed conditions on Kernell, a student at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, before releasing him. A DOJ spokeswoman in Knoxville confirmed that they include a ban on owning a computer and a restriction on Kernell's use of the Internet to e-mail and his college coursework.
Kernell was also forbidden from having any contact with Gov. Palin or her family, and cannot travel outside eastern Tennessee without the approval of a probation officer.
Kernell's trial date has been set for Dec. 16, with a pre-trial conference scheduled for Dec. 2.
Kernell, the son of , a long-time Democratic state representative from Memphis, allegedly broke into Alaska Gov. Palin's Yahoo Mail account by using the Web mail service's feature. After he accessed the "gov.palin@yahoo.com" account, he took screenshots of several messages and posted them on a public board, the grand jury said.
According to the indictment, Kernell used the alias "rubico" when he bragged about the hack online, then later tried to cover his tracks by deleting and changing files on his laptop computer.
Amateur Internet detectives linked Kernell to the rubico username shortly after the attack was made public. Several days later, Gabriel Ramuglia, the webmaster of a proxy service used by rubico to an Illinois company that provides Internet service to the Knoxville apartment complex where Kernell lives. The FBI searched Kernell's apartment on Sept. 21.
In a statement issued Wednesday by the U.S. Attorney's office in Knoxville, FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard Lambert applauded the help that sources provided authorities. "We would like to thank all of the internet service providers and others who partnered with us to bring this matter to a quick and successful resolution," he said.
If convicted, Kernell faces up to five years in prison and a fine of US$250,000.