New Jersey Teen Faces Child Pornography Charges
Juveniles around the country are now facing the risk of acquiring sex offender status for posting naked pictures of themselves on MySpace. This may sound hard to believe, but it happened to a 14-year-old New Jersey girl earlier this year when she was accused of child pornography for posting 30 explicit nude pictures of herself on MySpace.com, according to this news report. If convicted, this young girl could be forced to register as a sex offender in New Jersey.
This is apparently not an isolated incident. Prosecutors nationwide are pursuing child pornography cases resulting from teenagers sending nude photos to one another over cell phones and e-mail, a phenomenon which is now known as "sexting." The New Jersey girl reportedly posted the explicit photos of herself because she wanted her boyfriend to see them. The 14-year-old girl was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. The consequences she faces if convicted are up to 17 years in jail and sex offender registration.
Obviously this teen and others like her need counseling and help, not jail time. This type of an offense should not fall under Megan's Law that requires the teen to register as a sex offender.
If your child has been accused of "sexting" or possession or distribution of child pornography, it is vital that you contact the experienced New Jersey juvenile defense attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein who are not only knowledgeable about sex crime cases, but also New Jersey juvenile law. We will make sure that your child gets the help he or she needs. Our goal is to keep your child of jail and make sure that their bright future is not destroyed by a momentary lapse in their judgment.
