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A Pennsylvania high school senior is facing hundreds of felony charges after authorities reportedly accused him of operating a “large-scale criminal network” involving sextortion and catfishing.
Zachariah Abraham Meyers, 18, of McMurray — about 15 miles southwest of Pittsburgh — was arrested Friday and charged with more than 300 felonies, including trafficking in minors, sexual extortion, unlawful contact with a minor, distribution of child sexual abuse material, among other offenses, according to a court docket obtained by Digital.
Police allege Meyers, a senior at Peters Township High School, used social media platforms, including TikTok and Snapchat, to lure the victims into communicating with him, according to local outlets WTAE and WPXI.
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A view of Peters Township High School in McMurray, Pa. (Google Maps)
Investigators interviewed 30 underage boys during the probe and identified at least 21 victims, WPXI reported.
Authorities say Meyers used photos of other people to catfish the victims. One of the alleged false identities included was that of an adult film actress from another country, according to WTAE and WPXI.
“Meyers was able to deceive and coerce juvenile males into sending explicit pornographic images and videos of themselves,” authorities said.
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Authorities say Meyers used photos of other people to catfish the victims. (Getty Images)
Evidence recovered from Meyers’ phone allegedly linked him to the criminal activity, WPXI reported.
Meyers is being held at Washington County Prison pending a preliminary hearing.
He was denied bail and is considered both a danger to the community and a flight risk, according to the court docket.
In a statement provided to WTAE, the Peters Township School District said police informed the district of the ongoing investigation.
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Police allege the student used social media platforms, including TikTok and Snapchat, to lure the victims into communicating with him. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“The Police have indicated that there is no immediate safety risk to our schools, and we will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation,” the Peters Township School District said in a statement.
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“The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families remain our highest priority, and we appreciate all the efforts of the Peters Township Police in this matter.”
The Peters Township School District and the Peters Township Police Department did not immediately respond to Digital’s request for comment.
