Colorado authorities say sorting offenders from victims in sexting case will take time

DENVER – Authorities say it could take a month to sort the offenders from the victims in a widespread sexting case at a Colorado high school.

An unspecified number of Canon City High School students have been suspended over the explicit photos since an investigation began Monday.

Fremont County District Attorney Tom LeDoux said Friday some students could face child pornography charges that cause them to register as sex offenders.

But he says he will charge students only if absolutely necessary.

Police Chief Paul Schultz says authorities will work to identify hundreds of explicit images involving students as young as eighth-graders.

Three phones have been confiscated and authorities are seeking search warrants to examine them.

Police Capt. Jim Cox says authorities don’t want victims to think they did something wrong, but authorities want to know what happened.