After allegedly uploading a number of child pornography images to Twitter, Matthew Kerniss of Valley Stream was arrested on a recent Thursday.

Police say that in March, April and May of 2015, Nassau County detectives received tips on the alleged activity from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. A subsequent investigation by Nassau and Suffolk County police and the FBI resulted in the arrest.

Kerniss was charged with four counts of possession of a sexual performance by a child and seven counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child.

Defense attorneys in this case will likely investigate whether the defendant had reason to believe the subjects of the images were of a lawful age and whether a third party may have accessed the defendant’s computer or Twitter account without his knowledge.

Possession and distribution of child pornography are serious charges. If you are accused of such crimes, it is important that you speak with an attorney before making any statements to the police. The attorneys at the Brill Legal Group have extensive experience in defending against computer-related criminal charges of all types.