18-year-old Zachariah Abraham Meyers' charges include trafficking in minors, sexual extortion and unlawful contact with a minor
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NEED TO KNOW
- A Pennsylvania high school student is facing more than 300 felony charges after police accused him of extorting minors
- 18-year-old Zachariah Abraham Meyers’ charges include trafficking in minors, sexual extortion and unlawful contact with a minor
- A criminal complaint alleges that Meyers told the victims to produce and disseminate explicit images and videos of themselves and that he would sometimes demand money from them
A Pennsylvania high school student is facing more than 300 felony charges after police accused him of operating a "large-scale criminal network" involving catfishing and the extortion of minors.
According to reports from NBC News, CBS News and WPXI, 18-year-old Zachariah Abraham Meyers has been charged with trafficking in minors, sexual extortion, unlawful contact with a minor, distribution of child sexual abuse material, criminal use of communication facility and more following his arrest on Friday, Feb. 20.
Police allege that Meyers, a senior at Peters Township High School, located outside Pittsburgh, used social media platforms, including TikTok and Snapchat, to lure victims — ranging in age from 14 to 17 — into communicating with him.
A criminal complaint obtained by the outlets alleges that Meyers told the minors to produce and disseminate explicit images and videos of themselves, and asked them to "engage in prohibited sexual acts," per NBC News.
Meyers allegedly demanded $500 from two of the victims in exchange for him not sharing the explicit material. After one victim ignored the demands and did not pay the $500, the victim's sister received an Instagram message containing a naked photo of him.
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Police said they interviewed about 30 boys and identified at least 21 who had been targeted by Meyers.
Investigators said at least 14 of the teenagers sent pornographic images of themselves, and all but one believed they were messaging with an "attractive young female," per CBS News.
As part of the scheme, Meyers catfished the minors by pretending to be an adult film star from the Netherlands on social media platforms, as well as a man from Arizona and an unidentified woman.
In one case, Meyers is accused of coercing a 15-year-old victim to pose as an adult on "adult LGBTQ dating applications" to "engage in specific sexual acts with adult men," though the victim told him multiple times he did not want to.
Meyers is also accused of coercing a victim into filming 10 juveniles in a "private area" inside the high school.
Meyers, who is reportedly president of his school's senior class and a Peters Township athlete, per WPXI, was arrested after authorities executed a search warrant at his home. Investigators searched his phone and allegedly found evidence tying him to the social media accounts that were involved in the extortion.
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Peters Township School District told the outlets in a statement that police believe there is no further risk to students.
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"The Police have indicated that there is no immediate safety risk to our schools, and we will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation," a spokesperson said. "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."
Police also said that the case is a reminder that "as a parent you can never be too careful or too interested in your child's online activity," per CBS News.
Meyers is currently charged with 304 felony counts, but investigators said further analysis of his devices, which were seized during his arrest, may lead to more charges, per CBS News. He is currently being held without bail.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
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