A Ventura man has been booked under new California revenge porn laws.
Andrew Parkin was arrested after allegedly distributing indecent images of his ex-girlfriend on the internet, Ventura County Sheriff's Department said. He faces a $1,000 fine and six months in jail.
Previously deputies would not have been able to carry out an arrest as the images were selfies and the suspect had to be the one who took the pictures, however this was changed under the new legislation introduced three months ago.
Parkin could also face more charges, as the images were taken when the now 19-year-old alleged victim was just 15-years-old.
"I can remember taking a similar report…I had no teeth in it. I couldn't do anything... It was a horrible situation," Sgt Denise Sliva of Ventura County Sheriff's Department said, "Fortunately we (now) have this (new legislation)."
Parkin is set to be arraigned in April.
Senate Bill 255 became law in October, and made revenge porn a misdemeanor offense. If someone is caught electronically distributing nude pictures they can be charged. The images must have been posted without permission of the victim, or with the intent to harass or humiliate them.