Pender detectives investigating “sexting” at schools

Sexting is becoming a serious concern for parents and law enforcement worldwide. Pender County detectives are trying to stop teenagers and children from exchanging nude photos via cell phone.

Sexting is something Pender County detectives have been investigating for a while, but they launched an in-depth investigation when parents started calling the sheriff’s office after finding nude photos on their children’s cell phones.

Sexting, or sending sexual texts or pictures through your cell phone, is sweeping through the phones of teenagers. Pender County Sheriff’s Det. Scott Lawson says there are also criminal consequences from texting, including the possibility of having to register as a sex offender.

Deputies are doing everything they can to try and control what is sent via phone. Lawson says it’s a growing problem, worldwide.

“Some of these images on the Internet have more value than US currency,” Lawson said “We are seeing these images of our American children ending up on pedophiles’ computers overseas.”

Once a person hits the send button, the image can end up in cyberspace. Some teenagers and children think there is no way for deputies or parents to control what they send or receive, but there is software offered by companies like AT&T and Verizon that can block texts and images from being sent from phones. Lawson says it would be a good investment for parents.