Teenagers may think it’s harmless, but sending sexually explicit pictures and messages over cell phones can lead to emotional problems and criminal charges that will affect them for the rest of their lives, criminal justice officials said.
Investigators and prosecutors on Thursday warned of the dangers of electronically transmitting racy images and words at a hearing organized by Rep. Anastasia Pittman, D-Oklahoma City, into the practice of “sexting,” distributing nude or seminude self-portraits over cell phones.
“Sexting alone just by itself will land a kid in jail,” Pittman said. “They are not aware of the implications, the consequences. It’s their future that we’re trying to save.”
Pittman said she hopes to craft a bill for the Legislature to consider next year that will clarify language in existing criminal statutes that could be used to prosecute teens who send or receive naughty images of themselves or others.
“What I’m trying to do is be proactive,” Pittman said. Major concerns are the long-term consequences of filing a felony child pornography or indecent exposure charges against a minor and requiring them to register as a sex offender.
“We want to educate our children on the very real effects,” Pittman said.
Kim Sardis, juvenile services division director for the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs, said at least 10 cases have been referred to state juvenile courts since 2005 involving teens accused of distributing or possessing child pornography. Three of the cases involved the distribution of images over a cell phone.
Trent Baggett of the Oklahoma District Attorney’s Council said he is not aware of any “sexting” cases prosecuted in adult courts. But the practice has led to child pornography charges against teens in several states.
Several states have adopted legislation to define and prohibit “sexting.” Pittman said a law went into effect in Colorado this year that adds obscene text messages to…