Pennsylvania high school senior accused of running ‘large-scale’ catfishing, sextortion scheme targeting 21 minors

A Pennsylvania highschool senior is dealing with lots of of felony prices after authorities reportedly accused him of working a “large-scale prison community” involving sextortion and catfishing.

Zachariah Abraham Meyers, 18, of McMurray — about 15 miles southwest of Pittsburgh — was arrested Friday and charged with greater than 300 felonies, together with trafficking in minors, sexual extortion, illegal contact with a minor, distribution of kid sexual abuse materials, amongst different offenses, in accordance with a courtroom docket obtained by Fox Information Digital.

Police allege Meyers, a senior at Peters Township Excessive College, used social media platforms, together with TikTok and Snapchat, to lure the victims into speaking with him, in accordance with native retailers WTAE and WPXI.

Investigators interviewed 30 underage boys through the probe and recognized not less than 21 victims, WPXI reported.

Authorities say Meyers used pictures of different individuals to catfish the victims. One of many alleged false identities included was that of an grownup movie actress from one other nation, in accordance with WTAE and WPXI.

“Meyers was in a position to deceive and coerce juvenile males into sending specific pornographic photos and movies of themselves,” authorities mentioned.

Proof recovered from Meyers’ telephone allegedly linked him to the prison exercise, WPXI reported.

Meyers is being held at Washington County Jail pending a preliminary listening to.

He was denied bail and is taken into account each a hazard to the neighborhood and a flight threat, in accordance with the courtroom docket.

In a press release offered to WTAE, the Peters Township College District mentioned police knowledgeable the district of the continued investigation.

“The Police have indicated that there is no such thing as a quick security threat to our faculties, and we’ll proceed to cooperate totally with the investigation,” the Peters Township College District mentioned in a press release. 

“The protection and well-being of our college students, employees, and households stay our highest precedence, and we recognize all of the efforts of the Peters Township Police on this matter.”

The Peters Township College District and the Peters Township Police Division didn’t instantly reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.