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Police are investigating several Mountain View High School students following reports that the teens shared naked photos over the file-sharing service Dropbox, according to the Mountain View Police Department.
The investigation, which launched in late August, involves both male and female suspects from multiple high schools — all minors — using Dropbox to distribute photos, and two juvenile victims have been identified, according to police spokeswoman Katie Nelson. Police are not disclosing specific details on the case as the investigation is ongoing, and as of Monday, none of the suspects had been arrested or charged with a crime.
“We’re wrapping up our investigation, and in the next couple of weeks we will be presenting this case to the district attorney’s office,” Nelson said.
Although sharing inappropriate photos over social media, particularly on photo-sharing services like Snapchat and Instagram, has been an increasing problem for schools and law enforcement, this is the first situation the Mountain View Police Department has seen where minors used file-sharing service to upload and distribute photos, Nelson said.
A total of seven officers and detectives, including school resource officers and members of the Cyber Crime Unit and Child Crimes Unit, have been working on the case over the last three months, interviewing several students and families in order to narrow down the pool of suspects. Police ensured that students involved in the investigation received access to counseling services, Nelson said.
“Social media has triggered an unprecedented number of cyberbullying cases,” Nelson said. “We wanted to make sure that they have support if they felt like anything was traumatizing in any form or fashion, or are feeling stressed or depressed.”
Officials at the Mountain View-Los Altos High School District did not inform the school community about the ongoing police investigation after they were instructed by police not to communicate about the investigation, according to Superintendent Jeff Harding. He said the district referred the situation to the police as soon as they heard rumors of the file-sharing activity, and were told not to jeopardize the investigation.
“We were told it was an active crime scene and to not communicate to anyone,” Harding said.
Nelson confirmed that the department did call for administrators to maintain confidentiality to “ensure that no evidence would be destroyed” during the investigation.
Earlier this year, the district opted to not inform the public about a police investigation of an alleged sexual assault reported by the student newspaper, including one football player’s description of a sexual assault in the locker room. Harding said he believed the allegations were unfounded, and that it would have been a misstep to send out emails to thousands of parents over the criminal investigation. The investigation concluded and no charges were filed.
The increased use of social media and technology by students prompted police and school officials to host an information seminar last month on the “inappropriate use of social media,” which was prompted by a growing number of students making “poor decisions” on social media, according to a message by Susan Flatmo, the district’s clinical services coordinator. So-called “sexting,” or the sharing of sexually explicit photos, were among the problems discussed at the presentation.
Nelson said the event was scheduled separate from the investigation, and that law enforcement agencies have been hosting the same event for the past couple years.
“It was fortuitous that this case was going on simultaneously while we were speaking about this,” she said. “We can’t drill it home enough how careful people need to be when they post stuff on social media.”
Mountain View High School Principal Dave Grissom said school officials have had ongoing concerns about online behavior of students. Three students attending the school were arrested in October after they had allegedly made threats over Snapchat. The proliferation of social media, technology and new apps for communication have only made the problem worse in recent years, Grissom said, and schools can’t tackle the problem alone.
“The Mountain View Police Department, the Los Altos Police Department, the Santa Clara District Attorney, high schools, we’re all seeing the behavior, and we want to be able to support our kids,” Grissom.
In the aftermath of the investigation, Harding said it will be the district’s “prime objective” to protect the well-being of all students involved in the investigation through campus support services.
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I have no idea how they even attempt to rein this in, and I’m also very thankful to have come of age pre-internet.
Some high profile prosecutions are needed to get the attention of all. It would ensure that a lengthy jail term and a lifetime of registering as a sex offender is on the minds of everyone who might think about this.
We need to start PUNISHING sex offenders, not making excuses for them because one day they’ll turn 18 and everyone will be singing a new tune.
People distributing nude photos of others need to be punished, but I hope the ones who took nude photos of themselves aren’t. There have been a lot of stories in the news over the last few years where a couple of teens send each other nude photos of themselves, only to end up on sex offender lists as child pornographers for taking photos of themselves. The sex offender registry is a great way to ruin lives, not just punish. Once whatever punishment is over, it should be over, and any dues considered paid. It’s cruel and unusual punishment otherwise.
You know these photos are going to be used for bullying and worse. The only way to control it is through education about consequences. Melania Trump says she is going to make education about bullying one of her focuses for the next 4 years. We will see if she is effective.
@Emily: Because they, too, are children. Remember how we used to explore when we were teens and our parents weren’t home? They still do this now, too, but also take pictures of themselves and each other and the pictures survive indefinitely.
@Yvonne: Bwahahahahhh!!!! hope you are a troll, because guess what you end up with when you teach abstinence only? Unwanted pregnancies and STD’s. That’s been proven over and over again but still people cling to their foolish beleiefs.
It’s not a foolish belief. Abstinence does not lead to pregnancy or STDs. Such an outcome is biologically impossible. It’s been proven over and over again that sex leads to pregnancy.
It’s also been proven again and again that abstinence only teaching results in more unwanted pregnancies because no matter what you think or teach, kids are going to have sex. Not all, many will abstain regardless of curriculum and that’s fine, but those who do no abstain have no information on the realities of not becoming pregnant. I have a feeling, though, that some are more interested in forcing their religion’s morality on everyone(like the Taliban do only w/out as much terror)instead of actually having teen pregnancy number decline.
https://psmag.com/colorado-may-have-just-put-abstinence-only-education-to-bed-once-and-for-all-673c4cebed40#.p4e9oqo0z
I was once a teen and very thankful that there was no internet back then.
To some extent, there has been so much fun taken out of the lives of teens today. I’m not condoning them doing this, but I do think that there has to be some safe activities and ways for them to sow their wild oats without ruining their lives that isn’t dull and boring.
As for the discussion on teen sex and abstinence there has to be a middle ground in what we teach teens.
Of course not all will practice abstinence but teaching that abstinence is OK until later is perfectly acceptable. The present teaching makes some feel that it is a requirement for teen dating and that is just as wrong. I would prefer the message schools are teaching to present this.
Health professionals have long considered it wise to wait until bodies, emotions and maturity are ready for the intimacy of sex which may be different for different people. It is not just a religious attitude but other reasons also.
Why is this even an issue? Sexting is more common than you might realize. According to recent studies:
* More than 50% of college students say they sexted as teens
* Sexting is not linked to high risk behavior over time
* Sexting may be the new normal when it comes to adolescent sexual behavior.
Kids should be taught not to sext and the associated risks, but they should never be penalized for doing it. What’s the point in that?
Heck, I wish I had photos of a naked me at 18. I was in a lot better shape then.
Wow, I take this very seriously. It is NOT OK for minors — even teens – to take nude photos, whether of themselves or of others. No other argument. Not permitted. Not OK. And, then sending or forwarding such photos? Despicable and illegal. Don’t permit it, don’t condone it.
Actions between CONSENTING adults are different.
Kids in school should be taught above actions are socially unacceptable as well as illegal – crystal clear.
Teens need to be educated in internet behavior and child pornography laws. Stupid celebrities make sexting and nude selfies seem glamorous and trendy. The combination of cell phones, teen self doubt, and immature judgement is a recipe for rash choices. In the fickle world of teen relationships, they must know that their photos can passed on and on, then end up in the possession of many irresponsible, vengeful people, and evil people.
Sex offenders who violate children are the lowest form of human scum. Why hasn’t MVPD made an arrest or released any mugshots? We need to know who these predators are so we can protect our children.
This investigation will likely be very anxiety-provoking for many teens and families in our community. We adults are non-natives to the technology which has allowed our children access to things to which we were never exposed. If your family needs help, Crisis Text Line is available 24/7. Text anything (e.g. “Hi”) to 741741 to start a conversation with a trained counselor. In Santa Clara County, Uplift Family Services will send a trained counselor free of charge to your home to help your teen. Call Uplift Family Services’s 24-HOUR CRISIS LINE: (408) 379-9085 or toll-free (877) 41-CRISIS (412-7474). San Jose Behavioral Health 877-801-5455 offers free, 24/7 in-home admission evaluations for inpatient services for anyone 14 and older who is having a mental health crisis.
Is sex ed at MVHS abstinence only? The school district needs to encourage chastity, not promote promiscuity. Teachers should not be pushing our children to give into lustful temptations.