County drops all charges against student accused of indecent exposure in yearbook
May 4, 2016, 5:47 PM | Updated: 5:53 pm
(Mesa Police Department Photo)
PHOENIX — All charges have been dropped against a Phoenix-area high school student accused of exposing himself in a yearbook photo.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said it would not pursue any charges against 19-year-old Hunter Osborn of Mesa.
The charges included a felony charge of furnishing harmful items and a misdemeanor charge of 69 counts of indecent exposure to minors against the Red Mountain High School student.
“The evidence does not establish a violation” of the law, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery said in a press release.
Osborn was arrested Monday after being accused of exposing himself in a football team photo that was published in the high school’s yearbook. The book was distributed to the student body before school officials were notified.
In an interview with officers, Osborn said he was 18 when the photo was taken and that he was “dared” to take the photo by a teammate.
A #FreeHunter petition has been started, asking for the yearbook editor and the teacher who heads the yearbook class to be held responsible.
“He didn’t put the picture in the yearbook, he didn’t create the page, he wasn’t the editor that approved it, or the teacher responsible for publishing it and distributing it to students,” the petition read. “The teacher responsible for the yearbook should be fired.”
At the time of publication, the petition had a majority of signatures needed in order for it to be delivered to Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s office, high school officials and the Mesa Police Department.