Suspect charged in sex video incident

PERKINS TWP. — Police charged an 18-year-old man with a sex-related crime. However, he is also considered a victim in this case, which remains under investigation. When asked, police refused to identify the suspect, citing the victim's rights act, Marsy's Law. The incident came to light when Perkins police made a social media post on Wednesday. In the post, police referenced three people involved in the incident: • An 18-year-old man who is a Perkins student • A 16-year-old girl who is a Perkins student • A 14-year-old boy who is an Edison student The allegations The man and girl were allegedly exchanging explicit photos and videos of themselves, according to Perkins police Detective Joseph Rotuno. The pair were using a cellphone application to send the materials. At one point, the girl reportedly saved one of the videos the man sent to her on a separate device. The Edison boy had access to the video because the girl reportedly provided him with her username and password. Once the boy discovered the man's video, he allegedly downloaded it to his device and then shared it with two friends. From there, Rotuno said, "it spread like wildfire" through students in numerous school districts. Rotuno identified Perkins, Edison, Clyde, Bellevue and Huron districts as those whose students received the video. The reason the Perkins man is considered a victim in this matter is that the video he created of himself and shared with the Perkins girl was then shared with others without his consent. Charges "Charges are expected in the near future for both the 14-year-old and 18-year-old," according to Perkins police's social media post. The man was charged with disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a fifth-degree felony. The boy's charge has not yet been processed, according to Rotuno. He is expected to be charged as a juvenile. The girl is not being charged at this time. This is because any videos or photos that she produced and sent, which are technically child sexual abuse materials, have not been seen by police, Rotuno said. Those materials are also known as child pornography. Official responses In a letter sent to parents, Edison Schools superintendent Corey Ream addressed the situation. "All indications are that the situation took place outside of school hours, away from school property and on personal devices," Ream said. "We take any situation involving student safety seriously, and while this is a law enforcement matter being handled independently of the school district, it serves as an important reminder for families," according to Ream. Edison schools reminded everyone that, "sharing explicit material is not only damaging, it can also be considered a criminal offense." Perkins police echoed Ream's comments. "One of the main concerns the police department has moving forward is educating students and (families) on this incident," the social media post states. "This sexually explicit video was being shared by multiple people and sent to multiple juveniles throughout multiple schools. This is a criminal matter by each individual who shares this type of video with a juvenile." Perkins Schools also provided a statement on the incident. "The safety and well-being of our students is always our highest priority at Perkins Schools," said Jeff Stacklin, Perkins Schools' communications director. "We encourage parents to engage in open conversations with their children about the risks of social media (usage) and the serious consequences of sharing inappropriate material." The Register had not heard back from Clyde, Bellevue or Huron schools as of Thursday afternoon.