Criminal Defense
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Communities Served
Can teens who sext be charged with a crime in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has laws on the books that specifically address juveniles who possess and share sexually explicit images of other minors.
Last year, a Pennsylvania high school was involved in an investigation concerning sexting among juveniles. According to Penn Live, law enforcement officers issued search warrants for students’ mobile devices after learning that they may have been sharing explicit images of each other.
The district attorney in Cumberland County stated that if any charges were to be brought against these students, they would likely be summary offenses or misdemeanors. This is due to how the law addresses juveniles and explicit images, a statute that all teens and parents should know and understand.
What the law says
In 2012, the Pennsylvania General Assembly amended the state’s sexual offense code to address minors and sexually explicit images. Typically, people who knowingly distribute or disseminate these images of minors are guilty of a sexual offense, often a first-degree felony. However, juveniles who take images of themselves and distribute those, or juveniles who receive and possess images from another minor may only be charged with a summary offense.
The law goes on to state that if a juvenile has an image of another juvenile and then disseminates that image, the charges may be more severe. This is especially true in cases in which the possessor of the image is disseminating it with the intention of harassing or intimidating the person in the image.
The consequences
Under House Bill 815, the law that addresses sexting, a juvenile charged with a summary offense could simply face mandatory participation in a program seeking to educate youth about the dangers of sexting. Upon completing the program, any record of the arrest would be expunged.
However, the bill does permit prosecutors to bring criminal charges against teens who are malicious when sharing explicit images. This could result in a second degree misdemeanor, which is punishable by imprisonment.
Preventing sexting
Parents may understandably have concerns about their children engaging in explicit activity. Speaking with teens about the consequences of sexting is important, as it can help deter them from the behavior. Connect Safely, an organization that promotes smart use of social spaces and mobile devices, advises parents to try to get teenagers to understand how it would feel to have pictures of themselves up for public consumption. The organization states that there can be psychological and social consequences to these kinds of activities, including anxiety, social isolation and even depression.
Even though the consequences for some instances of sexting may not seem harsh, it is a dangerous line to walk alone. People in Pennsylvania who wish to understand more about this issue should speak with a criminal defense attorney.
Criminal Defense
- Your Legal Rights
- Criminal Defense FAQs
- Civil Rights Violations/Police Brutality
- College Crimes
- Drug Crimes
- Drug Crimes FAQs
- When Does Drug Possession Become Drug Trafficking?
- Defenses to Drug Trafficking In Pennsylvania
- Conspiracy To Traffic Drugs
- Cocaine Crimes
- Drug Paraphernalia Charges
- Drug Possession Charges
- Heroin Crimes
- Intent To Deliver Charges
- Marijuana Crimes
- MDMA
- Meth Crimes
- Prescription Drug Crimes
- Fentanyl Drug Crime
- Student Drug Charges
- DUI/DWI/Impaired Driving Crimes
- DUI Basics
- Defending DUI cases
- First-Offense Penalties
- Penalties For Multiple DUI Convictions In Pennsylvania
- Driving Under The Influence Of Marijuana
- Driving Under The Influence Of Prescription Drugs
- Aggravated Assault While DUI
- Vehicular Homicide Via DUI
- Leaving The Scene Of An Accident
- State Of DUI Law After Birchfield
- Federal Crimes
- Computer And Internet Fraud
- Federal Drug Trafficking
- Federal Sex Offenses
- Federal Conspiracy
- White collar crimes
- Arrest, Indictment And Arraignment
- Gun Possession And Federal Drug Crimes
- Federal Tax Fraud
- Money Laundering
- Insider Trading
- Federal Sentencing Guidelines
- Federal Government Investigations
- Federal Crimes FAQs
- Federal Crimes Versus State Crimes
- Felony Charges
- Juvenile Crimes
- Pennsylvania Criminal Law Information
- Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (A.R.D.)
- Arrest Warrants
- Chester County Common Pleas Judges
- Chester County District Justices
- Federal Grand Jury
- Helpful Links
- Indicting Grand Juries
- Mandatory Sentencing Laws
- Montgomery County District Justices
- Pennsylvania Courts
- Preliminary Hearings
- Preliminary Arraignment
- Post-Conviction Related Issues
- Professional License Defense
- Representation Of Public Officials & Grand Jury Investigations
- Sex Crimes
- Sex Crimes FAQs
- What Constitutes A Sexual Offense?
- When Should I Call A Lawyer For A Sex Crime
- How To Avoid Conviction For A Sex Crime
- Sexual Assault
- Statutory Sexual Assault
- Indecent Assault
- Title IX Sexual Assault Defense
- Aggravated Indecent Assault
- Rape
- Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse (IDSI)
- Indecent Exposure
- Prostitution
- Internet Sex Crimes
- Child Pornography
- False Allegations Of Child Sex Abuse
- Sex Crimes Against Minors
- Solicitation Of A Minor
- Corruption Of Minors
- Child Endangerment
- Children Youth And Families Investigations (CYS Investigations)
- Megan’s Law
- Statutory Rape
- Sex Crimes Involving Teachers
- Sex Crimes Trials
- Sexually Violent Predator Hearings
- Theft Crimes
- Violent Crimes
- Aggravated Assault Of An Unborn Child
- Pennsylvania Law On Self-Defense
- Domestic Violence Charges
- Protection from Abuse (PFA)
- Restraining Order Violations
- Murder
- What’s The Difference Between First- And Second-Degree Murder?
- First-Degree Murder
- Second-Degree Murder
- Third-Degree Murder
- Attempted Murder
- Manslaughter
- Terroristic Threats
- Weapons & Firearm Charges
- Kidnapping
- Communities Served
Civil Litigation
Personal Injury
- Personal Injury FAQs
- Auto Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- Car Accidents Involving Uninsured Drivers
- Drunk Driving Accidents/Dram Shop Liability
- Hit-And-Runs
- Medical Malpractice
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Premises Liability
- Product Liability
- Slip-And-Fall Injuries
- Texting and Distracted Drivers
- Victims Of Crimes
- Victims Of Crimes FAQs
- What Are Crime Victim Rights in Pennsylvania
- What is the Crime Victims Compensation Fund/Program?
- How Does Crime Victims Compensation Work in Pennsylvania?
- Civil Claims For Crime Victims
- Can I Sue For Sexual Assault or Rape in Pennsylvania?
- Sex Assault Victims
- Victims Of Child Sexual Abuse
- Victims Of Day Care And Foster Care Mistreatment
- Victims Of School Bullying
- Victims Of Title IX Sexual Assault
- Can I Sue My Employer For Being Assaulted at Work?
- Workplace Violence
- Victims Of Crime Due To Negligent Security
- Wrongful Death Lawsuits
Victims of Crime
- Victims Of Crimes FAQs
- What is the Crime Victims Compensation Fund/Program?
- How Does Crime Victims Compensation Work in Pennsylvania?
- Civil Claims For Crime Victims
- Can I Sue For Sexual Assault or Rape in Pennsylvania?
- Sex Assault Victims
- Victims Of Child Sexual Abuse
- Victims Of Day Care And Foster Care Mistreatment
- Victims Of School Bullying
- Victims Of Title IX Sexual Assault
- Can I Sue My Employer For Being Assaulted at Work?
- Workplace Violence
- Victims Of Crime Due To Negligent Security
Professional License Defense
Communities Served