FARMINGTON, Utah – A Utah man whose attempt to humiliate his estranged wife backfired in a big way pleaded guilty on Tuesday to two felony counts of distributing pornography. Each count carries a prison sentence of up to five years.
Shon Handrahan, 31, was arrested in 2012 after emailing nude picture of his wife to her acquaintances. The couple has since divorced.
While not the most spectacular abuse of privacy swirling around the issue of so-called revenge porn, Handrahan’s actions spurred the Utah legislature to join 12 other states that outlaw revenge porn. Utah now prohibits sharing potentially compromising images without consent from everyone depicted. First offenses are misdemeanors, but subsequent missteps are labeled felonies.
Handrahan was charged before the new law went into effect, hence the felonious pornography distribution counts. He also pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of harassment via electronic communication. Five additional charges were dropped.
One of the most difficult aspects of prosecuting revenge porn cases, according to Davis County Prosecutor Nathan Lyon, is that media coverage can exacerbate the victim’s trauma. As in rape cases, some victims decline to press charges against small-time revenge-seekers because they fear the public attention that might ensue.
Handrahan’s ex-wife is one example. She signed off on the plea deal to avoid further attention.
“It’s embarrassing to have very intimate pictures sent to your family members,” Lyon told the Associated Press.
Handrahan is expected to be sentenced March 17.
Image: Shon Handrahan’s booking mugshot from the Davis County Sheriff’s Office
