Attorney General: 27 referred to juvenile court in Fargo Davies Snapchat investigation

FARGO (KVRR-KFGO) – North Dakota’s Attorney General is providing an update on the widespread investigation into the alleged use of Snapchat by students at Fargo Davies and other schools to create and distribute sexually explicit images of minors.

Drew Wrigley says 27 juveniles were referred to juvenile court for possible charges of crimes against around 65 separate victims. Wrigley called the case “unprecedented”.

“The other side of that, that particularly troubling which also adds to it being an unprecedented case in North Dakota, in the neighborhood of 65 victims separate victims of the conduct. 65 victims who had images either made through artificial intelligence or altered in some way by artificial intelligence and such that they became sexual abuse, child sexual abuse materials.” Wrigley said.

Wrigley says the use of artificial intelligence in the case is not a victimless crime.

“It is far from victimless, it is a crime where they feel, rightly, completely violated, and something’s been taken from them, their privacy,” Wrigley said. “And some people say well ‘in some of the instances it’s not a real image’, uh yeah, but it sure looks like it, and it’s created with the intent of harassing that person.”

Wrigley says the suspects were all juveniles at the time, although some have since become adults. Charging decisions are up to the Cass County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Wrigley stresses the investigation has not been swept under the rug. He is asking for patience as the process plays out. Because the suspects are or were juveniles, he says State’s Attorney Kim Hegvik is limited in what information she can make public.