Missouri Sexting Laws for Teens and Minors

Sexting images of a minor—someone younger than 18—can result in serious charges and penalties. These offenses can be prosecuted under Missouri's child pornography and sexual exploitation laws. Read on to learn more about teen sexting laws in Missouri.

What Is Sexting?

Sexting refers to the taking, sending, or receiving of nude or sexual photos or videos by electronic means, whether through a text message, social media, or email. Especially common among teenagers, sexting can easily be used to bully or harass others.

Is Sexting a Crime in Missouri?

Sexting between consenting adults is legal, as long as the images aren't of minors. However, sexting images of or to minors falls under Missouri's child pornography and sexual exploitation laws, which can result in felony charges.

These laws were originally enacted to protect kids from sexual predators (not necessarily from other kids). While some states have addressed the issue of teen sexting by providing reduced penalties for sexting by or between minors, Missouri is not one of these states.

Missouri's Laws on Teen Sexting

Sexting images of or to minors falls under Missouri's child pornography, sexual exploitation, and obscenity laws. These laws prohibit creating, sharing, and possessing child pornography, as well as sending obscene images to minors. Child pornography is defined as any image, photo, or video that depicts a minor younger than 18 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Sexually explicit conduct includes sexual intercourse, masturbation, or lewd exhibition or physical contact of genitals or the pubic area.

Missouri's statutes don't distinguish between sexually explicit images taken of one's self and those taken of another minor. Without language to the contrary, presumably, a minor who takes a sexually explicit selfie and sends it to another person would be subject to the child pornography laws.

The absence of teen sexting laws creates serious consequences for teenagers, especially those age 18 or 19 who engage in sexting with a minor. These older teens must go through adult court and face adult criminal penalties—including prison and sex offender registration. Defendants younger than 18 are typically handled through the juvenile courts, which have more flexibility and sentencing options.

What Are the Penalties for Teen Sexting in Missouri?

The penalties for teen sexting depend on the conduct involved and the age of the minor. Sexting images of a minor—for both senders and receivers—can result in harsh felony charges.

Creating Sexual Images of Minors: Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

The harshest penalties for child pornography apply when someone knowingly creates—whether by photographing, filming, or videotaping—sexually explicit images of a minor younger than 18. The penalty is a class B felony unless the minor depicted in the image is younger than 14, in which case the penalty increases to a class A felony.

Under this section, a teenager who convinces his 15-year-old girlfriend to allow him to make a video of their intimate activities could be convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor. There's also the potential that a prosecutor could file class A or B felony charges against any minor who takes a sexually explicit selfie.

Class A felonies carry a maximum sentence of 10 to 30 years and up to life in prison. A person who commits a class B felony faces a maximum sentence of 5 to 15 years in prison.

Sending Sexual Images of Minors: Promoting Child Pornography

A person who shares sexually explicit images of a minor commits the crime of promoting child pornography. This could be a minor who sexts a nude selfie. It could also apply to a person who receives a sext and shares it with others.

Depending on the circumstances of the crime, the crime is a first- or second-degree offense.

First-degree offense. If the image depicts a child younger than 14, the crime is a first-degree offense. Class B felony penalties apply if the person distributes the image to an adult. Class A felony penalties apply when images are sent to a minor younger than 18. Anyone found guilty of a first-degree offense is not eligible for probation, parole, or conditional release for a minimum of three years.

Second-degree offense. Second-degree penalties apply when the image depicts a child 14 or older but younger than 18. If the image is sent to a minor, the penalty is a class B felony. Otherwise, the crime is a class D felony. Anyone found guilty of a second-degree offense is not eligible for probation.

Penalties. The sentence for a class A felony is 10 to 30 years in prison and up to life. Class B felonies can be punished by a maximum sentence of 5 to 15 years in prison. And a person convicted of a class D felony faces up to 7 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Receiving a Sexual Image of a Minor: Possession of Child Pornography

A person who knowingly receives and possesses one sexually explicit still image of a minor younger than 18 commits a class D felony and faces up to 7 years in prison. If the person possesses a video or more than 20 still images, the penalty increases to a class B felony with a 5- to 15-year sentence. A second offense under this section also constitutes a class B felony.

(Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 558.011; 573.023, 573.025, 573.035, 573.037 (2025).)

What Are the Penalties for Sexting With a Minor in Missouri?

Sexting images to a minor can result in sexual misconduct or related charges.

Sexual Misconduct Involving a Child

Under Missouri law, it's a crime for anyone (adult or minor) to expose their genitals to a child younger than 15 or to persuade a child to expose themself for sexual purposes. The crime may be committed in person or by electronic means, such as the internet. A Missouri court held that sending explicit photographs to a child via the internet constitutes "exposure" under the statute. (State v. Bouse, 150 S.W.3d 326 (Mo. Ct. App. 2004).)

A first offense under this section is a class E felony, punishable by up to four years in prison and a $10,000 fine. If the person has been previously found guilty of a pornography-related offense, the penalty is a class D felony, which has a maximum sentence of seven years' incarceration.

(Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 558.011; 566.083 (2025).)

Furnishing Pornographic Material to Minors

Prosecutors could also charge someone who sexts a minor with a class A misdemeanor for furnishing pornographic images to a minor. A second or subsequent violation under the pornography chapter raises the penalty to a class E felony. The maximum penalty for a class A misdemeanor is one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. A class E felony could land a person in prison for up to four years, plus payment of a $10,000 fine. An adult or minor who sexts a selfie to an underage person could be convicted of this crime.

(Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 558.011; 573.040 (2025).)

Are Teen Sexting Charges Heard in Missouri's Juvenile or Adult Court?

Minors who commit offenses when they are younger than 18 fall under the jurisdiction of Missouri's juvenile court. The juvenile justice system has more flexibility when it comes to sentencing options (called dispositions) than adult courts. Charges for misdemeanor offenses will be heard in juvenile court. For felony charges, if the minor is 12 or older, the case may be heard in juvenile court or transferred to adult court. A minor tried as an adult faces adult penalties.

Teens who commit these offenses when they are 18 or 19 go to adult court. They can face jail or prison time, steep fines, and sex offender registration.

(Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 211.031, 211.071, 211.073 (2025).)

Will a Teen Sexting Offense Result in Sex Offender Registration in Missouri?

Adults and minors tried as adults who are convicted of any of the above crimes must register as sex offenders. A juvenile adjudicated delinquent for sexual misconduct (exposure to a child younger than 15) must register as a juvenile sex offender until reaching the age of 21.

(Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 211.425, 589.400 (2025).)

A Note on Legal Assistance

Missouri's laws against child pornography are complex. If you or someone in your family faces criminal charges as a result of sexting, talk to an experienced Missouri criminal defense attorney or request a public defender. An attorney can tell you what to expect in court, protect your rights, and present the strongest defense.