An 18-year-old Pennsylvania high school senior is facing more than 300 felony charges after investigators say he ran a "large-scale criminal network" that used online sextortion and catfishing schemes to target minors.
Police allege Zachariah Abraham Meyers, a student at Peters Township High School in McMurray, about 15 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, used social media platforms including TikTok and Snapchat to contact boys between the ages of 14 and 17.
According to a criminal complaint cited by multiple outlets, Meyers is accused of posing as several fake online personas to gain the trust of victims before pressuring them to send sexually explicit images and videos. Authorities say he then threatened to share those images if the teens did not comply with further demands, including creating more explicit content or paying money.
Meyers is currently charged with 304 felony counts, including trafficking in minors, sexual extortion, unlawful contact with a minor, distribution of child sexual abuse material, and criminal use of a communication facility, according to People.
Investigators said that number could rise as they continue to analyze electronic devices seized during the investigation. He is being held at Washington County Prison without bail after a judge ruled he was both a danger to the community and a potential flight risk.
Detectives said they interviewed about 30 boys and identified at least 21 alleged victims in the case. At least 14 of the teenagers are believed to have sent pornographic images of themselves, and nearly all thought they were communicating with an "attractive young female," according to local news reports that cited the complaint, Fox News reported.
In some instances, Meyers allegedly demanded $500 from victims in exchange for not distributing their explicit photos, and in one case, a victim's sibling was sent a nude image after the teen did not pay.
Authorities also accuse Meyers of directing one victim to pose as an adult on dating applications to perform sexual acts with men and of coercing another to film about 10 juveniles in a private area of the high school.
The Peters Township School District said it was notified of the investigation and is cooperating with law enforcement, while urging families to speak with children about online safety. Prosecutors have not yet announced a trial date, and Meyers has not entered a plea to the charges, as per WFMD.
