Guilty Plea For Man Prosecutors Say Was Behind Sexting Scandal That Rocked Local High School
By Jim Melwert
LANSDALE, Pa. (CBS) -- A 19-year-old pleads guilty to his role in a sexting scandal that rocked North Penn High School last year.
Prosecutors say the North Wales man was responsible for collecting nude pictures of girls, uploading those pictures to a file-sharing website, then sharing the link to that site with other boys in the school.
Brandon Berlin told Montgomery County judge Gary Silow he was very sorry for any pain he had caused and he'd learned his lesson. But the judge told Berlin he's hurt quite a few people, adding this will follow those people all their lives.
Berlin pleaded guilty to one count to one count of Transmission of of sexually explicit images by a minor, and is sentenced to 2-years probation, a $250 fine, and 200 hours of community service.
Berlin's attorney Matt Quigg says his client would be willing to work to raise awareness of the hazards of sharing nude photos:
"Other girls aren't victimized by their pictures being spread out there and that other boys aren't prosecuted for cataloging or sharing these pictures."
Prosecutors say Berlin was the only one charged as they felt he was the one responsible for the mass distribution of the photos.
