Pennsylvania high school senior charged with more than 300 felonies in alleged sextortion scheme

An 18-year-old Peters Township High School senior was arrested Friday and charged with more than 300 felonies, including trafficking in minors, sexual extortion, unlawful contact with a minor and distribution of child sexual abuse material, according to a court docket obtained by Fox News Digital.

Authorities said the suspect, identified as Zachariah Abraham Meyers of McMurray, about 15 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, used social media platforms including TikTok and Snapchat to lure victims, local outlets WTAE and WPXI reported. Investigators interviewed 30 underage boys and identified at least 21 victims, WPXI reported.

WTAE and WPXI reported police allege Meyers used photos of other people to catfish victims, including a false identity using the image of an adult film actress from another country. “Meyers was able to deceive and coerce juvenile males into sending explicit pornographic images and videos of themselves,” authorities said, according to the court docket obtained by Fox News Digital.

Evidence recovered from Meyers’ phone allegedly linked him to the criminal activity, WPXI reported. Court records show he is being held at Washington County Prison pending a preliminary hearing, was denied bail and is considered both a danger to the community and a flight risk, the court docket said.

The Peters Township School District said in a statement to WTAE that police had informed the district about the investigation and that “the Police have indicated that there is no immediate safety risk to our schools.” The Peters Township School District and the Peters Township Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment, according to Fox News Digital.

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