Police Investigate Sexting Incident at Presque Isle High School

-- Detective Kris Beck is investigating a case over at Presque Isle High School. A case he says is one of the largest sexting incidents that he’s personally seen.

"Early last week we came across some information that there was a 15-year-old boy that basically was attempting to extort or solicit naked photos of high school girls," said Beck.

Beck says the boy was allegedly threatening the girls get them to send him inappropriate photos of themselves.

"He would have information from their past that not a lot of people would know about, and he would threaten them and say give me some pictures or else I’m going to make this public knowledge. Or he would say i’m going to make up a bunch of stuff and get these rumors flowing about you unless you give me these pictures," said Beck.

Detective Beck and the District Attorney's office have since launched an investigation. Beck says the number of girls who have allegedly been affected by this boy is already astounding, and that number could potentially grow. Even including other parts of the county.

"Right now, the numbers that we have for girls involved as potential victims is up around 20 currently and I expect that number to grow a little bit before the investigation is over. Presque Isle high school, there is some people involved there, it looks like it could spill over into the middle school potentially, and we’re very confident that it’s not going to be limited to just Presque Isle but also but possibly Caribou, Washburn, Easton," said Beck.

Detective beck says that if you do get a message that is threatening and asking for photos, to contact your local police department immediately.

"We’re encouraging parents to talk with their kids if there is something that has been going on with their child we want them to come forward, give me a call, so I can talk to them and we’ll get to the bottom of it," said Beck.

And if you’re ever thinking about asking for or sending inappropriate photos, Detective Beck wants you to remember this:

" Whether someone is asking you for a photo, or if you want to ask somebody for a photo, don’t do it. It’s going to get yourself in a lot of trouble, especially if you do take an inappropriate photo of yourself and send it out there. Once you click that send button you can never take it back, and you have no idea what anybody else is going to do with that photo so you’re pretty much at the mercy of whoever you just sent it to," said Beck.

Because the student is a minor no name has been released. Parents of students involved have been notified. Presque Isle High School has been cooperating with the police department and the investigation is still ongoing.