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High Schoolers Could Face Charges For Sharing 'Child Porn' Video Of Classmate

SOUTHGATE (WWJ) - Several students at Southgate Anderson High School could be facing criminal charges for texting a sexually explicit video of their classmate.

According to reports, the video shows a 9th-grade female student dancing and stripping naked. The incident apparently took place at a weekend house party where alcohol was reportedly involved. The whole thing was recorded on a cellphone video, which was shared with several students via text message.

"You might as well call the video child porn because the law says anyone under the age of 18 can't make, share or even keep a sexually explicit video of a minor," WWJ Legal Analyst Charlie Langton said.

While it's unclear if any students will face criminal charges, Langton said it's a very real possibility.

"Anyone under 18 years old that allows a minor to engage in a sexually explicit video is looking at 20 years in prison," Langton said. "And of you text that dirty picture or video, that's a felony as well. If you're in possession of the video, that could land you in prison for four years. It's very serious."

When contacted for comment Thursday morning, Southgate police told WWJ Newsradio 950 they have not yet opened an investigation into the allegations because they "have nothing to go on." Thomas Coombs, the city's director of public safety, said the incident happened off school property and no one had filed a complaint.

However, Supt. William Grusecki said the ninth grader and her parents were at the police station later this morning, discussing the situation.

Grusecki also said administrators at the high school were talking to students to figure out who was involved in the incident, and asking parents about confiscating and viewing the phones of anyone allegedly involved.

"Basically, the behaviors are because of the phones," Grusecki said. "We can't control what parents allow children to do on the weekend at home."

He added that by law schools can't prevent students from bringing their phones into the building. "The legislation came into play after Columbine, and legislators through it would be a good idea to make it mandatory for them to be able to get a hold of parents," the superintendent explained. "We get it, but it's brought so many other things into school."

So, does the video rise to the level of actual child porn? The superintendent says he hasn't seen it so he's "not sure if it's as explicit as what it's made out to be."

 

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