Tracking the Palin Hacker: Update

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The FBI reportedly arrived at the suspect David Kernell’s Tennessee apartment at around midnight Saturday while a party was in progress. They took pictures of the apartment, took down names of the party-goers (though some reports say many of them high-tailed it out of there as soon as they arrived), and subpoenaed Kernell’s three roommmates, according to witnesses. Wired wonders whether the alleged hacker could get jail time if guilty, and concludes: not likely and not much. Due to the DOJ’s previous interpretations of the Stored Communications Act, the hacker in this case may only be able to be charged with a misdemeanor under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

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