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Teens face porn charges in 'sexting'
By Bob Stiles
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Three Greensburg Salem students who allegedly sent nude or semi-nude photographs of themselves via their cell phones and three male students who received the photos are facing pornography charges.
Greensburg police have filed petitions with Westmoreland County juvenile authorities charging the three high school girls with manufacturing, disseminating or possessing child pornography. Three high school boys found with the photos on their cell phones are charged with possession of child pornography, police said Monday.
Police said more charges are possible because they believe the photos may have gone to others.
Media reports across the nation have documented the teen trend of sending nude or semi-nude photos from cell phone to cell phone, called "sexting" instead of "texting."
Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck said minors can be charged with sending or possessing child pornography, despite their age.
In mid-November, Lisa Rullo, former high school principal, became aware of a photo after a student used a cell phone during school hours -- a violation of school district policies -- and the phone was confiscated. Police were contacted and other cell phones were seized.
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At least one of the photos shows a teen in front of a mirror, authorities said.
The girls -- two of whom were photographed nude -- took their own pictures, said Greensburg police Sgt. Rob Jones, a member of the state police Area III Computer Crimes Task Force.
The girls are 14 or 15 years old, while the boys are 16 or 17 years old, authorities said.
Jones said many students don't realize that by sending the photos to others, even classmates, they eventually can end up on the Internet and in the hands of pedophiles.
Rullo said district officials regularly review the policy on the use of cell phones and other electronic devices with students. "We inform the students that it still is child pornography (if they give or possess it) and ... this is something they don't want to have at all," she said.
Rullo said her experience shows that many students don't realize the consequences, even if their parents do. "It's a shock to (parents)," she said. "The students seem desensitized."
According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, more than 100 cases of child exploitation via cell phone were reported to the agency in 2008.
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All six students, who were turned over to the custody of their parents, are awaiting hearings in county juvenile court.
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By Bob Stiles
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Three Greensburg Salem students who allegedly sent nude or semi-nude photographs of themselves via their cell phones and three male students who received the photos are facing pornography charges.
Greensburg police have filed petitions with Westmoreland County juvenile authorities charging the three high school girls with manufacturing, disseminating or possessing child pornography. Three high school boys found with the photos on their cell phones are charged with possession of child pornography, police said Monday.
Police said more charges are possible because they believe the photos may have gone to others.
Media reports across the nation have documented the teen trend of sending nude or semi-nude photos from cell phone to cell phone, called "sexting" instead of "texting."
Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck said minors can be charged with sending or possessing child pornography, despite their age.
In mid-November, Lisa Rullo, former high school principal, became aware of a photo after a student used a cell phone during school hours -- a violation of school district policies -- and the phone was confiscated. Police were contacted and other cell phones were seized.
[...]
At least one of the photos shows a teen in front of a mirror, authorities said.
The girls -- two of whom were photographed nude -- took their own pictures, said Greensburg police Sgt. Rob Jones, a member of the state police Area III Computer Crimes Task Force.
The girls are 14 or 15 years old, while the boys are 16 or 17 years old, authorities said.
Jones said many students don't realize that by sending the photos to others, even classmates, they eventually can end up on the Internet and in the hands of pedophiles.
Rullo said district officials regularly review the policy on the use of cell phones and other electronic devices with students. "We inform the students that it still is child pornography (if they give or possess it) and ... this is something they don't want to have at all," she said.
Rullo said her experience shows that many students don't realize the consequences, even if their parents do. "It's a shock to (parents)," she said. "The students seem desensitized."
According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, more than 100 cases of child exploitation via cell phone were reported to the agency in 2008.
[...]
All six students, who were turned over to the custody of their parents, are awaiting hearings in county juvenile court.
[...]
This is totally crazy in so many ****ing ways that I'm running out of fingers to count them.
- The girls took pictures themselves, willingly, and for their own purposes
- The girls willingly sent the pictures to boys their own age
- The photos were discovered when a school principal was illegally invading their privacy by going over their messages and pictures, in the confiscated phones.
- The students are perfectly A-OK with this, and the only ones having a fit are teachers and parents who are dumbstruck at how kids are having a perfectly normal reaction to sex, while the grownups are acting insane.
Now, don't get me wrong - I'm very much against child porn. I'm also strongly against 13 year olds getting at it, and obviously taking their own nude photos and sending them is a bad idea.
But bringing charges for child porn???!?
Come-****ing-on!
Obviously no one was abused, and no one was hurt. The pictures were taken, and sent voluntarily, and are obviously not bothered by this.
What the children need is an adult to sit down with them and explain them what they did wrong, and how it could hurt them. Not god damn ****ing police charges.
Your country is insane!!
Also, since when are school staff allowed to invade personal privacy and search through the photos and messages of teenagers?!?!
I realize they can confiscate them if used improperly, but since when does that grant them full access to private data? The kids have a full right to take nude photos of themselves, and the principal going through them is more akin to pedophilia than anything mentioned in the story!
And what the hell with the draconian total ban on cell phones? I realize that they should be disallowed during class, but this is all too much.
This is totally insane.
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