ComputerForensicsDigest.com

In Wisconsin, a high school freshman has been charged with multiple felony counts stemming from the discovery of dozens of nude and semi-nude female classmates and girls from surrounding schools. The case not only illustrates the growing problem of sexting in secondary schools, but also the challenges faced by forensic examiners in today's fast-moving electronic society.

The case arose when a young woman at Whitnall High School reported that a fellow student had a nude picture of her on his cell phone. WHS is part of the Whitnall School District, which serves portions of the cities of Greenfield and Franklin in southeastern Wisconsin.

When school officials investigated the charge, the 14-year-old male student admitted that he did have nude images on his phone. After the police were called and given the phone, the student was released to the supervision of his parents. The District promptly sent out a letter alerting parents to the incident and asking them to talk to their students about "the appropriate use of technology."

The initial report proved to be the tip of the iceberg. During a forensic analysis of a SD memory chip retrieved from the cell phone, police retrieved 80 nude and semi-nude photos of between 35 and 50 young women. However, police were only able to identify 7 of the victims. The student's iPod was also seized, but the Federal Bureau of Investigation was reportedly unable to locate any contraband on the MP3 device.

In an interview with the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal-Sentinel, Greenfield police Deputy Inspector Brad Wentlandt said that the young man apparently obtained the photos by telling girls that if they did not send nude photos of themselves, he would spread rumors about them or send out photos of their friends that he had already collected. All of the victims were between the ages of 13 and 15.

Just last week, the District school board expelled the student, and yesterday, he entered not guilty pleas to ten felony counts stemming from the investigation. The charges include: one count of possessing child pornography, six counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child (girls aged 13 to 16), two counts of threats to communicated or spread derogatory information and one charge of second degree sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl.

A status hearing in the case is set for November 17. Police suggest that further charges are likely.