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March 29, 2006

2 teens accused of child pornography for photos posted on myspace.com

North Smithfield police have arrested a teenager and a 19-year-old woman who posted sexually explicit photos of themselves on the Internet.

The police say Elizabeth Muller of 6 Sorel Ave., North Smithfield and a 16-year-old female friend from Lincoln put the pictures on myspace.com, a popular Web site where young people socialize online.

During a routine patrol of the site, Lincoln High School Resource Officer David Waycott recognized the teenager from school and alerted the police department’s juvenile division.

"They were fully naked and posing together," said Capt. Denis Smith of North Smithfield.

Under Rhode Island law, posting naked pictures of an underage person, even one’s self, constitutes child pornography.

After further investigation, the police said they learned that the pair photographed themselves and posted the pictures from North Smithfield, putting the case under that town's jurisdiction.

North Smithfield police arrested Muller over the weekend at her home. The teenager was taken into custody soon after. Each was charged with one count of child pornography.

-- Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham

Muller was arraigned on Monday. The girl’s case was referred to Family Court.

A second 16-year-old was also arrested in connection with the postings after the police learned that she had helped photograph and post the pictures of her friends. That girl was charged with one count of conspiracy for her involvement.

The girls have not been identified because they are minors.

Sullivan said the pictures have since been removed from myspace.com.

-- Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 4:35 PM | Permalink

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