On Thursday, 39-year-old Theophilus Thomas was arrested by Jacksonville, Florida police in connection with nude photos posted to the Facebook page known as “Marine’s United.” Thomas is the first veteran arrested and charged in relation to the nude image leaks of female Marines, having left the United States Marines as a Lance Corporal and staying in the New River area. This arrest comes after the United States Navy and Marine Corps both issued command guidance on what is considered “revenge porn” and gives both branches new ways to punish those who share nude photos without the consent of the other party.
The warrants issued for Thomas stated that he shared six photos of a woman undressed without her consent. Jacksonville’s JDNews spoke to local police to see why Thomas was arrested by them instead of NCIS. JDNews reported that were told it was because the report was made to them first.
“We keep an open line of communication with NCIS in all cases involving military personnel,” police captain Ashley Weaver said.
The Marine Corps and Navy released guidance to all Marines and sailors on what would and would not be considered revenge porn. Nonconsensual distribution or broadcasting of an image is defined as:
(1) The wrongful distribution or broadcasting of an intimate image is
prohibited.
(2) The distribution or broadcasting is wrongful if the person making
the distribution or broadcast does so without legal justification or excuse,
knows or reasonably should know that the depicted person did not consent to
the disclosure, and the intimate image is distributed or broadcast:
(a) With the intent to realize personal gain;
(b) With the intent to humiliate, harm, harass, intimidate,
threaten, or coerce the depicted person; or
(c) With reckless disregard as to whether the depicted person
would be humiliated, harmed, intimidated, threatened, or coerced.
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