Florida Criminal Lawyer Blog

Until recently, nobody had heard the term "sexting." But this activity, meaning texting sexual photos or messages, can have an all too real impact on teens. Take 20-year-old Phillip Alpert, who was an 18-year-old living in Florida when he forwarded photos of his ex-girlfriend to get her attention.

Alpert was arrested on child-pornography charges, given five years' probation, and forced to register as a sex offender. He is also required to attend weekly sex-offender re-education classes for the duration of his probation. In sexting cases between two underage parties, the teens can feel like both perpetrator and victim, and the consequences can be life-altering, as Alpert's case demonstrates.

Alpert's lawyer took on the case as a pro bono project, partly to educate others on the serious consequences of sexting.

Source: Sexting Leads To Teen Having To Register As A Sex Offender, MTV.com, February 11, 2010

Continue reading "South Florida Attorneys Discuss Consequences of Sexting" »

Sexting, sending sexually explicit photos via text message, is a growing problem among Florida teens. The results can be embarrassing to teen girls, but it can also result in criminal charges for both the sender and the recipient.

Under Florida law, the each image is a felony punishable by up to five years behind bars. Both sexes are equally culpable under the law. Sexting is considered a child pornography case, according to a Broward Sheriff's Office detective. A 2007 Orlando case involving an 18-year-old boy and his 16-year-old girlfriend brought the issue to the attention of Florida law enforcement officials. The boy emailed nude photos of his girlfriend to people out of revenge and is now listed on the state sex-offender registry.

Prosecutors in the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office say that the office is drafting a policy to address sexting, since it has become such a widespread problem. Miami-Dade County schools hopes to have an anti-sexting initiative in place by the time school starts in August.

Sexting: Both sender and receiver can face charges, Sun Sentinel, July 27, 2009

Continue reading "Broward Criminal Lawyers Discuss Sexting " »