No charges over photos of teenage athletes on gay porn sites
Prosecutors in Orange County, California have announced they will not bring any charges against two men who took pictures of teenage water polo players which were then posted on gay porn sites.
The district attorney’s office investigated the case for four months, but found that no offences had been committed.
The California State Legislature is to consider a bill criminalising the preparation, posting or publishing of photos of minors on adult websites.
One of the men, a 44-year-old University of California Irvine employee, is on paid leave while an investigation into whether he broke college rules continues.
Some of the photos were taken at UoC Irvine water polo meets.
As the photos were taken at public sporting events, the photographer may be protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution protecting free speech.
Parents, coaches and politicians in southern California have condemned sexually explicit gay websites that feature photos of teenage boys playing water polo.
An investigation by the Orange County Register discovered photographs of players from eleven high schools in the area, some as young as 14, posted alongside naked images of young men on a website registered in London.
Players from other California high schools were also found.
The paper reported that some of the boys are so traumatised by the discovery that they have needed counselling.
“We deplore the actions of individuals that have gone against the nature in which our sporting events are intended,” USA Water Polo said in a statement.
