I had a close group of friends, and it included Samuel and Clark (not their real names). Everyone involved is over 18. One time, Samuel slept over at Clark’s house because they were friends. While Samuel was sleeping, Clark went on Samuel’s phone (it didn’t have a password because he was very trusting), looked through all of Samuel’s content, and found a nude photo that Samuel had sent to his girlfriend.

Clark proceeded to send this photo to himself and delete the message in which he sent it to himself. Then, Clark sent it to another homosexual male, John, and discussed it with John, using it as currency to solicit nudes from other people that the other John had saved.

Two months later, I was hanging out with Clark, and we were talking to John on Clark’s phone. Clark went out of the room for a minute, and I went to send a message to John (with Clark’s permission), and I came across this disturbing conversation:

Clark: Got a d*ck pic of Samuel 😉

John: I don’t even believe you

Clark: He left his phone here, and I found one

John: and….

Clark: He has a really nice d*ck, you would like it

John: wow so hot

Clark: mhmmmm *sends a cropped version of the picture, only Samuel’s chest is showing*

John: u r a bitch, you know that right?

Clark: I know, but you’re fun to tease 😉 want me to send you the whole uncropped picture?

John: Yes, but that would make me sound desperate

Clark: whats in it for me?

John: my eternal gratitude. and an IOU, if I still had nudes of Greg, I would send you them

Clark: *sends the entire picture

John: Thats how i imagined it, pretty and thick

Clark: i know right

John: such a great top d*ck, a shame he’s straight

Clark: I’ve stayed horny since getting it haha

(end of convo)

After seeing this conversation, I didn’t confront Clark. Instead, I told Samuel and his girlfriend. They were horrified and traumatized. Samuel was very depressed afterwards for weeks. Samuel asked me to get evidence of this, so next time Clark let me borrow his phone, I took a video of the conversation and then took a video of the serial number (so you know it wasn’t photoshopped or something).

I gave the video to Samuel, and he said he would handle it. Instead of handling it, Samuel cut all contact with Clark and moved out of the state. He didn’t want to take Clark to court in fear that Clark would post the nude online in revenge, and Samuel would lose his job.

Now, Clark has been harassing us and defaming us to mutual friends because he doesn’t know why we have been ignoring him. I want to tell Clark that we know what he did, but Samuel doesn’t want to make Clark angry. So, I need advice regarding what to do.

My questions are:

1. Is what Clark did illegal, and can we take him to court? 2. Is taking a video of Clark’s conversation with John illegal (what I did)? 3. Can Samuel lose his job for having a nude online, even if it was stolen? 4. What would be the best course of action?

(Should I tell Clark’s mom, and should I tell Clark we know what he did?) I really want to do what’s right; I’m just not sure what is right in this case. 5. How do we make sure Clark doesn’t go unpunished for this? 6. How do we make sure Clark doesn’t send it to more people (he most likely has)?