Don't Label Teen an Adult Sex Offender for "Sexting" His Girlfriend!
- by: Chris Wolverton
- recipient: North Carolina's Cumberland County District Attorney
A 17-year-old teen is being charged with five felony sex crimes for doing something 54 percent of teens admit to doing: "sexting" his girlfriend. He faces 10 years in prison and 10 years on a sex offender's registry for exchanging nude selfies with his girlfriend when both were 16.
Authorities searched his and his girlfriend's phones for unknown reasons and accused them of sharing child pornography. According to police reports, no one saw the pictures except the couple. The girlfriend is serving one year of probation after pleading guilty to a lesser charge.
Charging teens with adult sex crimes for exchanging consensual nude selfies with their peers is as ridiculous as charging them with child molestation for engaging in sex acts with boyfriends and girlfriends of the same age. Please sign the petition to urge the district attorney to let the teen off with a warning or a light sentence. No teen should have their future ruined for engaging in a common, consensual activity.
We, the undersigned, are concerned that a 17-year-old teen is being charged with five felony sex crimes for doing something 54 percent of teens admit to doing: "sexting" his girlfriend. He faces 10 years in prison and 10 years on a sex offender's registry for exchanging nude selfies with his girlfriend when both were 16.
We believe that charging teens with adult sex crimes for exchanging consensual nude selfies with their peers is as ridiculous as charging them with child molestation for engaging in sex acts with boyfriends and girlfriends of the same age. We respectfully urge you to let the teen off with a warning or a light sentence. No teen should have their future ruined for engaging in a common, consensual activity. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider our petition.
