Teen sexting case highlights severity of N.C. sex offender laws
A North Carolina teenager faces felony sex crime charges after police discovered sexually explicit photographs of a sixteen-year-old girl on his cell phone. Cormega Copening is a seventeen-year-old high school student at Jack Britt High School. Copening was playing quarterback on the football team before being forced to sit out because of the felony investigation. The Fayetteville youth was arrested and charged with violating state law prohibiting the transfer of “sexually explicit” photographs of minors when police discovered nude photographs of Copening and his sixteen-year-old girlfriend on his phone. Police found the photographs by asking his mother, who pays the bill, if she would permit a search of the cell phone so the police might look for any possible evidence in a separate investigation of statutory rape.
Statutory rape means consensual sex with a minor, who is considered incapable of consenting, i.e. consent is invalidated. That also has difficulties as we show in
- Teenage Sexuality (92)
- Child Sex (7)
Copening was not a suspect in that investigation. During the search, the police discovered the nude photos of Copening and his then girlfriend.
It is sad, but it is safest NOT to cooperate with police. Innocent collaboration can point to some unexpected violation of the law.
Cormega Copening is charged with two counts of second degree sexual exploitation of a minor and three counts of third degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Second degree sexual exploitation of a minor is a class E felony and requires the knowing “distribution of material that contains a visual representation of a minor engaged in sexual activity”. The minimum punishment for a class E felony is 15 months, which could be served in some intermediary capacity, meaning there is no requirement that the sentence be actively served in prison.
Copening is also charged with three counts of third degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Third degree sexual exploitation of a minor only requires the possession of material containing a visual representation of a minor engaged in sexual activity. This crime is a class H felony, which carries a minimum of four months punishment, but allows for other forms of punishment aside from actively serving prison time. Keep in mind, however, that Copening would face at least the minimum for each count. Thus, Copening faces three counts carrying four month minimums and two counts carrying 15 month minimums. As if this weren’t enough, if convicted, Copening could be required by law to register as a sex offender.
All charges dismissed against Fayetteville high school QB in sexting case
He was lucky, but his life was upset, his photos all over the newspapers.
More at Child Porn Witch Hunt (64 posts)
