Police said more charges are possible because they believe the photos may have gone to others

Media reports across the nation have documented the teen trend of sending nude or semi-nude photos from cell phone to cell phone, called "sexting" instead of "texting."

Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck said minors can be charged with sending or possessing child pornography, despite their age.

In mid-November, Lisa Rullo, former high school principal, became aware of a photo after a student used a cell phone during school hours -- a violation of school district policies -- and the phone was confiscated. Police were contacted and other cell phones were seized.

"These pictures were not taken at school," said Rullo, now district director of student services. "They were done outside the school."

At least one of the photos shows a teen in front of a mirror, authorities said.

The girls -- two of whom were photographed nude -- took their own pictures, said Greensburg police Sgt. Rob Jones, a member of the state police Area III Computer Crimes Task Force.

The girls are 14 or 15 years old, while the boys are 16 or 17 years old, authorities said.

Jones said many students don't realize that by sending the photos to others, even classmates, they eventually can end up on the Internet and in the hands of pedophiles.

Rullo said district officials regularly review the policy on the use of cell phones and other electronic devices with students.

"We inform the students that it still is child pornography (if they give or possess it) and ... this is something they don't want to have at all," she said.

Rullo said her experience shows that many students don't realize the consequences, even if their parents do.

"It's a shock to (parents)," she said. "The students seem desensitized."

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, more than 100 cases of child exploitation via cell phone were reported to the agency in 2008.

In Tunkhannock, Wyoming County, police last year confiscated five cells phones from students with illegal photographs. One phone contained about 100 pictures, according to published reports, and some of the girls in the photos took them.

In Texas, a 13-year-old boy was arrested on child pornography charges in October after he received a nude photo of a student on his cell phone.

Nils Frederiksen, spokesman for state Attorney General Tom Corbett, said most cases like the one at Greensburg Salem are handled at the district attorney level. But his agency has heard similar reports about the use of cell phones in the transmission of pornography, he said.

A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association couldn't be reached for comment yesterday.

All six students, who were turned over to the custody of their parents, are awaiting hearings in county juvenile court.

Typically, a Greensburg Salem student faces one day of detention for the first violation of the district's electronic devices policy. A second violation results in a one-day suspension. A third infraction can result in a three-day suspension.

Bob Stiles can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 724-836-6622.
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