MyNorthwest.com Staff

A father of a teen facing sex offender charges for taking part in a chain of picture phone messages says his kid is a good kid.

"My child's not a sex offender," the father, who wanted to remain unidentified, told KIRO Radio's Dori Monson.

His child is facing a Class C felony for forwarding on a naked picture of a 14-year-old girl.

Police say the girl had taken the photo of herself and sent it her 14-year-old boyfriend. The pair broke up before he sent the picture on. Police say the image was forwarded to dozens of students in at least three different schools.

Three teens were arrested and are facing charges that, if convicted, would require each to register as a sex offender and serve up to a month in detention.

"The intent of this picture was by no means to be viewed as pornography. It was more of a bullying thing. One child was mad at the other - asked the boy for the picture - wrote 'Ho Alert' on the picture, which is a sexually provocative picture," said the father.

The dad, who said he's stressed beyond belief and hasn't been able to sleep or eat, said he has punished his child for taking part in the forwarding chain. "That cell phone service is gone. Computer is gone. My child is an honor student and has never been in trouble," he said.

The father said he'd accept a misdemeanor or harassment charge, community service, or whatever else the court deems appropriate, but he argues that turning his child into a sex offender is wrong.

"It's horrifying. Your child does so well, they get straight A's, they do everything they're supposed to and you try to reward them and have these items." He added, "My child has a bright future, but if my child gets convicted, that future is gone."

The students have been released to their parents until a decision is made concerning criminal charges. The boy is a student at Chinook Middle School.

Deputy prosecuting attorney Rick Peters said those charges might sound harsh, but that's the statute they have to use, "In this case do I think the requirements for the charge itself seem harsh to a layperson? I think it is because I don't know that this particular type of situation was contemplated by the legislature when they drafted the legislation."

Peters said he would have flexibility with the teens' sentences, but wants them to know that "sexting" is not a light matter, "This is not a prank, this is a very serious situation."