A pair of teenagers have been charged with posting hardcore pornography on a highway billboard in Michigan.
The teens were picked up thanks to an anonymous tip helping investigators identify the suspects, who had been caught on surveillance video entering a shed to access the laptop used to post the footage.
You can see the surveillance footage here:
Motorists were left distracted by the X-rated footage that was left up for around 15 to 20 minutes before it was taken down on September 28, according to the Auburn Hill Police Department.
The naughty films popped up on the screen just before 11pm, which caused havoc for motorists for several minutes as they drove past, with some even stopping to take pictures and videos that later made their way onto social media.
The pornography played over Interstate 75 or I-75 near Detroit, until police officers were able to contact the owner, who was then able to shut off the rude video feed.
According to reports from Fox, the younger of the two teens, who police cited as being responsible for breaking into the shed, was entered into a juvenile diversion programme. If he successfully completes the programme, it will result in all charges being dismissed.
Meanwhile, the older teen was charged with trespassing and was not jailed.
Police said the pornography leak was first brought to their attention after they received reports from drivers who had passed the billboards.
The board is located on the east side of I-75, south of highway M-59, and displays a digital image on both sides, facing north and south.
Writing about the incident on Facebook, police said:
Officers arrived on scene and witnessed the video being displayed at that time. We were able to contact an emergency contact for the private business, which operates the sign, and they were able to shut down the sign.
We believe that the video may have been playing for at least 15 to 20 minutes before it was turned off.
The owner of the billboard was Triple Communications, police say, which is part of the Triple Investment Group, and is also the owner of the former Pontiac Silverdome that was condemned and demolished in 2018.
Before the incident, police had warned people of the severity of promoting pornography, saying it could result in 90 days in jail and/or a $500 fine.
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.