Former New York Jets linebacker Jermaine Cunningham has pleaded guilty to sharing revenge porn.
Cunningham, 26, admitted he posted nude photos of his ex-girlfriend to his Instagram account without her permission in December, as reported by NJ.com. He’s believed to by the most high-profile individual to date to be charged with such a crime, though it’s likely his playing career is over: Plagued by injuries, he’s not currently signed with an NFL team, and will serve his probation with family in Georgia.
So-called revenge porn “kingpins,” who have run sites devoted to showcasing nude or sexualized photos without their subjects’ permission, sometimes charging them a fee to have the photos removed, have faced far harsher penalties. Kevin Bollaert, who ran the now-defunct yougotposted.com, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in February.
Some states’ revenge-porn or non-consensual porn laws, including New Jersey’s, requires the person who shares the images to deliberately intend to shame or hurt the person depicted. About half the country outlaws the practice, though to date there isn’t a federal law against it.
Cunningham’s plea deal allows him to skip prison, though his probation length won’t be set until his sentencing in June. He also pleaded guilty to illegally transporting his licensed gun from Florida to New Jersey.
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