Rochester Area Teens Could Face Felonies for Sexting

More than 30 teenagers in Rochester and Rochester Hills could face felony charges for allegedly circulating nude photos on their cell phones.

Oakland County Undersheriff Mike McCabe told WXYZ, Channel 7, said the investigation began with some girls sharing nude photos of themselves and their friends among themselves, then escalated to the point that 31 students were involved – “24 young ladies and seven young men,” McCabe said.

“Those who took the pictures and sent it have committed a crime, and those that got the pictures and forwarded them on committed a crime,” McCabe said.

All of the students are under the age of 17, and they are students at Rochester Adams High School and Van Hoosen Middle School in Rochester Hills.

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• Should the teens face felonies for their involvement in this case?

Defense attorney Shannon Smith, who is representing one of the students involved, told WJBK, Channel 2, potential charges are “very serious.”

“These teenagers could be charged with possessing, manufacturing, distributing and receiving child pornography,” Smith said. “These are 20-year felonies, seven-year felonies and four-year felonies.”

As the law stands, even students who circulated nude photos of themselves could be charged, Smith said.

Sexting isn’t isolated to the Rochester area, according to Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper, who told WXYZ that she investigates similar cases in county schools every week. She makes charging decisions on a case-by-case basis, with more severe charges reserved for cases that involved malice.

“We’ve had people so humiliated, they take their lives,” Cooper said.

Smith doesn’t think the students involved should be charged with felonies, though she said the teens do need “a wake-up call.”

“I hope the prosecutor’s office considers going lighter on them,” Smith said.

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