Crime & Safety

One Teen Arrested in Connection with Sexting Case

In a case that is serving as an example on the local efforts to curb the trend of sexting, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s officials in Rancho Cucamonga announced the arrest a 16-year-old boy and citation a 14-year-old girl accused of texting and posting obscene material.

The action comes nearly two weeks after the start of the investigation. Detectives said they conducted numerous interviews, served a search warrant to Twitter and completed data analysis to both suspect’s computers and cell phones.  

On Friday morning, deputies took the 16-year-old male into custody and booked him into Juvenile Hall on suspicion of felony Obscene Matter depicting a minor engaging in or simulating sexual conduct, officials said. The 14-year-old girl was issued a citation for misdemeanor charge of Distribution of Obscene Matter, officials said.

“Rancho Cucamonga detectives must remind citizens of all ages that all persons who send obscene images of persons under the age of 18, whether of themselves or other persons, violate child pornography laws,” officials wrote in a news release.

The investigation started May 8 when school resource officers at Etiwanda and Rancho Cucamonga High Schools received reports of nude photos that had been posted on a social media site on May 6. A Rancho Cucamonga detective looked into the claims found the reportedly explicit pictures were posted on the account of a male student at Etiwanda High School, officials said.

According to an earlier news release, detectives confirmed at least two female students from Rancho Cucamonga High School sent these images to the male student in the past.   The investigation will continue due to the potential for identifying additional suspects and victims, officials said.

Detectives ask anyone with information to call the Rancho Cucamonga Detective Division at (909) 477-2800.


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