Teenager prosecuted for having naked photographs of himself on his mobile phone

A teenager from North Carolina has allegedly been prosecuted for having naked photographs of himself on his mobile phone.

High school student Cormega Copening, now 17, was reportedly charged in February with four counts of making and possessing images of himself and one count of possessing a naked image of his girlfriend.

He allegedly had to strike a plea deal to avoid potentially going to jail and being registered as a sex offender.

The teenager, who was 16 at the time the photographs were found, was suspended as quarterback of his high school football team while the case was ongoing.

Justin Patchin, professor of criminal justice at the University of Wisconsin, told the Guardian: “It’s dysfunctional to be charged with possession of your own image.”

State officials said it was illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to send or receive sexually explicit photographs, but the age of consent in North Carolina was 16.