Florida Teens Arrested After Distributing Child Porn Video
Let’s be honest: teens often experiment with sexual activity. While it’s not necessarily illegal for them to have sex with someone roughly their own age, recording the sexual acts and posting them online for others to see does constitute child pornography if the performers in the videos or photos are minors under the age of 18.
Three teen boys were recently arrested in Florida after being accused of producing a video of one of the boys having sex with a girl. A 16-year-old boy was in a video with a 12-year-old girl and it was displayed on Snapchat at a school.
In April, Monroe County School District became aware of the child porn on the social media site and contacted the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Police began an investigation. They seized the 16-year-old boy’s cell phone and were able to identify the girl as well as two other boys.
All three boys were arrested. The boy in the video faces a charge of lewd and lascivious battery. A 14-year-old boy recorded the video. He faces charges of child cruelty by promoting a sexual performance by a child. The third boy, a 16-year-old, has been accused of distributing the video at school. He faces multiple charges, including lewd and lascivious battery, transmission of child pornography, and child cruelty by promoting a sexual performance by a child.
How Can Teens Be Arrested for Child Porn?
The law states that anyone who possesses, distributes, or creates nude or sexually explicit photos of a minor can face child pornography charges. While adults are typically the ones who view and distribute child porn, teens often do as well—they just might not be aware of it.
Many teens engage in sexting, in which they send sexually explicit photos of themselves to others. While teens may think this behavior is OK, it’s not. It’s technically illegal under the law, since the subjects in the images and videos are under the age of 18.
Florida has sexting laws in place. For the first offense, the minor has the option of paying a $60 fine, completing eight hours of community service, or participating in a cyber-safety program. For the second offense, the minor will face first-degree misdemeanor charges, which can mean up to one year in jail. For a subsequent offense, the charge is elevated to a third-degree felony, which is punishable by five years in prison, five years of probation, and a fine of $5,000. Florida Statutes, §847.141.
Contact a Legal Professional for Help
Anyone of any age can face child porn charges. As seen in this case, young children and teens may record sexual acts of friends and classmates, which is considered pornography under the law.
Child porn and other sex-related charges require a solid defense. Florida child pornography attorney Gilbert A. Schaffnit can provide you with aggressive legal representation. To schedule a consultation, contact our office 24/7 by filling out the online form or calling (352) 505-1799.
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