Girl charged with sending nude photos via cell phone

If convicted, 15-year-old would have to register as sex offender for 20 years

by Russ Zimmer, Newark Advocate writer

NEWARK -- A 15-year-old girl was charged with felony offences Monday in the Juvenile Division of Licking County Common Pleas Court for sending nude photographs of herself to other juveniles' cell phones, Licking County Assistant Prosecutor Erin Welch said.

The Licking Valley High School student is the first minor to be charged after the Prosecutor's Office made presentations to high schools across the county about the illegality of having or transmitting pornographic images on or from their cell phones.

She pleaded deny to both charges: illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material, a second-degree felony; and possession of criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony.

If found delinquent, the juvenile court's equivalent of a conviction, the girl could be labelled a Tier II sexual offender and be required to register for 20 years, Welch said.

She declined to comment on whether the juveniles who received the photographs also would be charged, but she said the investigation is ongoing.

School officials at LVHS discovered the materials and involved Licking County Sheriff's Office Deputy Josh Hufford, who is the school resource officer.

The defendant was arrested Friday and had been detained during the weekend. She was released after the hearing Monday pending the resolution of her case, Welch said.

In April, Prosecutor Ken Oswalt began conducting assemblies during which he explained the consequences to high school students.

At that time, Oswalt said he'd had about 20 cases through April in which students had taken nude or otherwise inappropriate photos of themselves, text-messaged them to others or had a photo of another teen on their phone.

Most of the minors did not know it was illegal, and none were charged pending their adherence to a plan crafted with their families, he said.

Welch said Oswalt hosted a presentation at LVHS in September to warn students not to engage in this activity.

Editorial reference: LINK

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