West Michigan Teacher Resigns After Explicit Photo Manipulation Allegations

Parents have a lot to worry about when it comes to keeping their kids safe and protected online.

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They have to constantly remind their son or daughter that the internet is permanent and anything posted online can stay there forever.

I remember when I was in middle school, a guy took a nude picture his girlfriend sent him via email and showed it off to some of his buddies which lead to it getting passed around the school and making that girls life hell.

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While that's terrible for any parent to have to think of something even more disturbing is alleged to have happened at a West Michigan High School.

Northview Public Schools confirmed on January 9 that one of its high school teachers had been placed on administrative leave pending an open criminal investigation.

On Friday of last week the district said that the teacher had resigned effective immediately.

That teacher was 27-year-old Joshua Balhorn of Grand Rapids.

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker told Wood TV this case involving Balhorn was as a little bit out of the ordinary.

Usually, our typical Child Sexual Abuse Material case is when they’re actually taking pictures of kids. This is not one of those, Balhorn was manipulating photos to make them look like they’re naked, which is also a violation of the law. I’m fairly sure a lot of people don’t actually realize that … (but) the statute says ‘any depiction that appears to be’ — if you manipulate a photo to make it appear to be a child … in a sexually provocative position … that is just the same as if it was actually a child.

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How Much Jail Time Is Balhorn Looking At

Balhorn is facing 2 felony charges, one for producing child sexually abusive material and using a computer to commit a crime.

If found guilty he could face up to 40 years in prison.