Summary: A teenage couple who exchanged nude photographs by cell phone have both received probation for their actions.
You may recall that JDJournal recently reported on a couple of teenagers who sent nude photos to each other and were subsequently arrested for their conduct, even though they were both minors at the time and the exchange was consensual. According to the Daily Mail, the teens were 16 at the time the photos were exchanged.
Sources report that the teens, who were charged for distributing material to minors (since they exchanged photos) and exploiting themselves, have both accepted plea deals in the case. Though their actions were consensual, and though there was no major age discrepancy between them, the teenagers have each received a year of probation. The court is also prohibiting one member of the duo, Comega Copening, from having his own cell phone for the next year.
A “sexting” high school coach received a thirty-year sentence for his conduct.
Copening must also remain in school, take a class on making good choices, complete 30 hours of community service, stay away from alcohol and drugs, and submit to warrantless searches. According to Gawker, if he had not taken the deal, he may have been forced to register as a sex offender.
In 2011, a law decriminalizing sexting by minors was proposed.
Brianna Denson, Copening’s girlfriend at the time, has similar terms in her plea agreement. Critics are complaining the judgment is pretty extreme when you consider this was just a couple of teenagers sending pictures to each other.
Charges for “disseminating harmful material to minors” still remain. The exploitation charges have been dismissed.
Source: Above the Law
Photo credit: sydneycriminallawyers.com.au