Lancaster teens ordered to pay restitution in morphed image case
HARRISBURG — Two Lancaster County teenagers have been ordered to serve probation, complete community service and pay restitution after admitting to creating manipulated nude images of other minors.
Attorney General Dave Sunday said the 16-year-old boys were adjudicated delinquent Wednesday in Lancaster County juvenile court on charges including felony sexual abuse of children for manufacturing child sexual abuse material, conspiracy and a misdemeanor count related to obscene material.
Leonard G. Brown III, president judge of Lancaster County, ordered each juvenile to serve six months of probation, complete 60 hours of community service and pay $12,000 in restitution to victims for counseling costs. The teens are also prohibited from contacting victims.
According to the Office of Attorney General, the juveniles used images found online — primarily through social media — and altered them to depict classmates and other minors as nude. Authorities described the images as “morphed,” meaning they were digitally manipulated to combine images of children with explicit content.
Dozens of victims and their families attended the disposition hearing or submitted victim impact statements. Prosecutors said victims reported anxiety, depression and ongoing fear that the images could resurface.
“Many victims and their families articulated in court their feelings of anxiety, depression and devastation related to this conduct,” Sunday said in a statement.
The case was investigated by local police and referred to the attorney general’s Child Predator Section for prosecution. Senior Deputy Attorney General Janie Swinehart presented victim impact statements during the hearing.
Officials noted that while juvenile proceedings are typically closed, the hearing was open to the public because the charges would constitute felonies if filed in adult court.
