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An 18-year-old high school student from Pennsylvania is facing a staggering number of felony charges, accused of orchestrating an extensive criminal operation involving sextortion and online deception.
Zachariah Abraham Meyers, a resident of McMurray, located approximately 15 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, was apprehended on Friday. He is now confronting over 300 felony charges, which include trafficking minors, sexual extortion, unlawful contact with minors, and distributing child sexual abuse materials, among other serious offenses. These charges were confirmed through court documents reviewed by Fox News Digital.
Authorities claim that Meyers, who attends Peters Township High School, exploited social media platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat to entice victims into interacting with him. This information comes from reports by local news outlets WTAE and WPXI.
The investigation led authorities to interview 30 underage boys, resulting in the identification of at least 21 victims, according to WPXI.
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.
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.
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.Â
“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 Fox News Digital’s request for comment.