Shows what I know. Just as a 15 year old can’t be charged with statutory rape for having sex with another 15 year old, I figured something similar would be the case in which a 14 year old possessed naked pictures of a classmate. Turns out that’s wrong:

A 14-year-old St. Charles boy faces felony charges after police say he forced a girl of the same age to take pornographic photos of herself and distribute them over the Internet.

The boy, who is not being named because of his age, is scheduled to appear in juvenile court Nov. 9 on a charge of possession and distribution of child pornography, police said Monday.

According to the story, however, the only “distribution” he seemed to do was send the pics via IM to one of his buddies.

While rather heinous, is child pornography the right charge here? That this kid, if found guilty, will presumably be labeled a sex offender in the legal system? Seems like a tricky one to me — what do you think?

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