Kris Schubach/Eyewitness News
Indianapolis, Nov. 6 - Scalini Photography in Broad Ripple is a popular place for high school students to take their senior pictures. The photographer is considered a pro, the best in his field, says friend and colleague Lori Urley. "He is so well respected, he is a genius, his is an artist."
But to prosecutors, 44-year-old Andrew Scalini is a criminal who preys on teenage girls.
Deputy Prosecutor Jay Meisenhelder says, "This is not a First Amendment issue. This is about whether he took sexually explicit pictures of 17-year-old girls in Indiana."
The trial started Wednesday in a case that charges Scalini with four counts of child exploitation.
According to court records, photographs were taken of four teenage girls "...in a nude and sexually provocative or sexually explicit state."
Prosecutors say Scalini promised the girls modeling jobs.
Defense attorney Carolyn Rader argues the artistic nature of the photos. "This is not a case of child pornography. He's a 20-year veteran, nationally known."
But Meisenhelder says, "The question is, why did you take the pictures, not how good the pictures are."
Whether Scalini crossed the line between art and pornography with underage girls will be up to the jury to decide.
If guilty, the Broad Ripple photographer with a high fashion reputation will make another list, of sex offenders in Indiana.
The four victims took the stand Wednesday to tell the eight-member jury their stories.
If convicted in this case, Scalini faces six months to 12 years in prison.
You might remember defense attorney Carolyn Williams also defended convicted murderer Orville Lynn Majors.