Earlier this year in a 15-year-old girl and her 17-year-old boyfriend were doing what dating teenagers do. These days that means texting instead of talking on the phone. Teenagers are also apt to explore their sexuality. These days that often means sexting via the phones they use to not talk. The Manassas, Virginia teenagers were doing just that earlier this year, which started with the girl sending nude photos of herself to her boyfriend, which prompted him to send a video which included his erect penis.

After a complaint by the girl’s parents, the boy was arrested and charged with possession and manufacturing of child pornography. Sexting among minors is illegal in 20 states, including Virginia. Even though the activity is common among teens and done with seemingly few negative effects, states don’t differentiate by age. So whether the offender is 40 or 14, the same charges apply with penalties of up to forty years.

In this case, the possession charges stem from the photos that his girlfriend sent him, and the manufacturing charge is for his self-made video of him…or rather his penis. He could face up to twenty years in prison.


The police then wanted to photograph his erect penis for evidence, thus creating their own child pornography.

It looks like there are two ages of consent in Virginia? West Virginia age of consent is 16, rest 18. INfor from 2009. http://www.rsolvirginia.org/age-of-consent/

So, if they live in WV he is an adult, but otherwise he is also a minor. Can a minor be accused of child pornography from being sent pictures from another minor, or from selfies??

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