BETHESDA, Md. (WUSA) -- Montgomery County Police are investigating whether students at two local schools made and distributed sexually explicit photographs that were sold on school grounds.
The scandal involves students at Pyle and Whitman High School, both in Bethesda.
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In the halls of Pyle Middle School in Bethesda, an Ipod touch containing more than a dozen sexually explicit images of female students was a hot commodity.
"It was some nudity. Scantily clad. There wasnt any kind of acts or anything that we know of," said Montgomery County Police Corporal Dan Friz.
Sources tell 9News that a small group of boys allegedly sold access to the still photos and even videos at school, for anywhere from three to fifteen dollars.
"Most kids at the school have seen the pictures," said 8th grader Matthew Eisenstein. "They were distributed. It got pretty bad."
"Everybody must feel very badly about this," said Matthew's mother, Rhonda Eisenstein. "It was just a mistake of judgment that any children could make."
Other parents echoed her sentiments.
"Oh, thats horrible," said Ray Huang, the father of a Pyle 7th grader. "I could not believe that. I dont want to hear that news at all."
The students involved are 7th and 8th graders at Pyle and 9th and 10th graders at nearby Whitman High School.
"Part of the challenge that the detectives face is whether there was any force used against the girls to take the photos. We dont know yet," added Cpl. Friz.
The case is now under investigation by the Family Crimes Division, which handles criminal allegations involving children under the age of 18.
"I guess this is a good lesson," said Rhonda Eisentstein. "If it becomes a good lesson then maybe thats something good that can come out of it."
Once the police investigation is complete, the case will go to the states attorneys office to determine what, if any, charges will be filed.
Principal Zarchin had a female staffer look at the images to identify the students involved. He then phoned the police and the parents of the girls in the pictures and the boys who allegedly sold them. Some of the students told him they knew it was wrong, but it was "just too hard to resist."
Written by Andrea McCarren
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