Sheriff, schools target sexting

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced Friday that all cellular phones belonging to the students of East Thibodaux Middle School had been turned over to law enforcement after school officials were made aware that pornographic images of a minor were being passed on electronically via cell phones.

During the noon hour, two students had notified school administrators that pornographic images of a minor female were being texted throughout the school. Moments later, a male student was found texting on the grounds and subsequently, according to school policy, the phone was confiscated.

Principal Danny Landry then viewed the text on the phone and discovered the pornographic images of the minor, thus validating the girls’ claims. The matter turned over to law enforcement.

During the afternoon, school administration ordered the campus be put on lock-down.

Upon the request of law enforcement, school officials took possession of all cell phones as potential evidence of state and federal crimes. Parents were contacted for the purpose of assisting in the investigation by giving consent to have their child’s phone checked for pornographic material.

In total, 168 phones were turned in by East Thibodaux Middle School students and multiple phones were found to possess pornographic images. No charges have been filed at this time but the investigation is ongoing. The sheriff’s office said it was prepared to obtain a search warrant if necessary.