Should "sexting" lead to sex offender status?

Click on this link to read an article about young people arrested and charged as sex offenders for sending nude photos of themselves on their cellphones (= "sexting").  The article, which appeared in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, raises questions about when sending or viewing nude photos of underage persons should be viewed as a criminal activity and (if so) whether it rises to the level of a "sexual offense."  Do you believe the punishments described in the article are overly severe?