Douglas County Sheriff's Deputies Say No Criminal Charges In Sexting Case

The Chaparral high and middle school students who had their phones seized two weeks ago during a sexting investigation will not be facing any criminal charges, according to Douglas County Sheriff's deputies.

On Valentine's Day, deputies served a warrant to seize at least eight phones from students at school, but will be giving the phones back after deciding not to press charges.

When the phones were seized, it was believed that they had pictures of a single female student and the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said it wanted to take the phones before the photos went viral.

No arrests were made, but in Colorado sexting with or among minors is a sex crime for potentially both the sender and receiver of the sext -- a text with sexually explicit material -- as it would be if that same material were exchanged over the internet.

KDVR spoke anonymously with one of the male students whose phone was seized during the investigation because it contained a topless photo of a female student.

The students involved could have faced possession or distribution of child pornography.

Ron Peterson, the principal of Chaparral High School, explained to 7News that the issue of cell phones in schools is a delicate one:

"Well, we used to not allow cellphones in the school. And I'm like, 'You know what, this is their world.' So let's not take it away from them. Let's teach them how to use them effectively."