Exploitation of Children is a crime in Denver, Larimer, and Jefferson County which destroys lives on both sides of the offense. One young woman is a recognized sex symbol in the internet, not because she looked for the attention, but because her personal photo account (which contained “selfies”, but no nude pictures) got hacked. These kinds of things happen often throughout Arapahoe, Jefferson, and Adams County. Young teens engage in slightly questionable behavior, such as sexting a photo to a current boyfriend. What high school kids don't realize is the potential for being charged with a crime.

High School Sexting and the Exploitation of Children

Our world is changing rapidly. Technology is booming faster than we can fathom, and our kids have grown up and learned behavior which would not have been tolerated only a few years ago. Sexting and explicit photos are passed between insecure girls and their boyfriends in schools today. What kids don't realize is the danger they are facing by engaging in this behavior. Sexual Exploitation of a Child – C.R.S. 18-6-403, is charged whenever a person is in possession of sexually explicit materials which depict children under the age of 18. This crime is also charged when a person encourages or entices a child to make sexually explicit material, or who distributes the material. As you can see, high school students often engage in criminal behavior without even realizing their mistake. We see cases all the time where a guy receives an explicit photo from a girl at school who wants his attention. He likes the photo, and forwards it to a couple of buddies. Since he distributed and is in possession of sexually explicit materials, this high school boy could face charges related to the Exploitation of Children and become a sex offender. Our culture is a dichotomy; on one hand, our teenagers are encouraged to be hyper sexual. Their worth is determined by their sexuality in modern media. At the same time, our government charges teens who act out on the behavior they are taught.

 Materials Don't Have to Be Explicit to Destroy Lives

While the material must be sexually explicit in order for a person to be charged with Exploitation of Children, suggestive photos can still ruin lives. For the young girl whose photo account was hacked, life is never going to be the same. She's a porn star with absolutely no wish to be one. Our culture is rapidly changing. We need to sit down and discuss the dangers of sharing explicit photos before they are charged with crimes, or ruin their futures.

If you or your child has been contacted by the police in Denver, Littleton, or Aurora regarding Exploitation of Children charges, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at the O'Malley Law Office at 303-830-0880, or submit the “Get Help Now” form. Together, we can protect your future.

Source: Read the article about the young girl on the ABC News website