need to know
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A Pennsylvania high school student is accused of blackmailing a minor and faces more than 300 felony charges
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Zachariah Abraham Meyers, 18, was charged with trafficking of a minor, sextortion and unlawful contact with a minor
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A criminal complaint alleges that Meyers told the victim to create and distribute explicit images and videos of himself, and that he would sometimes demand money from the victim
A Pennsylvania high school student faces more than 300 felony charges after police accuse him of running a “large-scale criminal network” involving catfishing and extortion of minors.
Zachariah Abraham Meyers, 18, was charged with trafficking a minor, sextortion, unlawful contact with a minor, distribution of child sexual abuse material, and unlawful use of a communications facility after his arrest on Friday, February 20, NBC News, CBS News and WPXI reported.
Police said Meyers, a senior at Peters Township High School outside Pittsburgh, used social media platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat to lure victims, who ranged in age from 14 to 17, to communicate with him.
A criminal complaint obtained by NBC News alleges that Meyers told minors to create and distribute explicit images and videos of himself and asked them to “engage in prohibited sexual conduct.”
Meyers allegedly demanded $500 from two victims in exchange for not sharing the explicit material. After one victim ignored the requests and failed to pay $500, the victim’s sister received an Instagram message containing a nude photo of him.
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Police said they interviewed about 30 boys and identified at least 21 boys who were targeted by Meyers.
Investigators said at least 14 teens sent pornographic images of themselves, and all but one believed they were messaging an “attractive young woman,” CBS News reported.
As part of the scheme, Meyers defrauded minors by pretending to be an adult film star from the Netherlands, a man from Arizona and an unidentified woman on social media platforms.
In one case, Meyers is accused of forcing a 15-year-old victim to pose as an adult on an “adult LGBTQ dating app” in order to “perform specific sexual acts with adult males,” even though the victim repeatedly told him he didn’t want to do so.
Meyers is also accused of forcing the victim to film 10 teenagers in a “private area” inside the high school.
Meyers, who was reportedly the school’s senior class president and an athlete at Peterstown, was arrested after authorities executed a search warrant at his home, WPXI reported. Investigators searched his phone and allegedly found evidence linking him to social media accounts involved in the extortion.
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The Peterstown School District told media outlets in a statement that police do not believe students are at further risk.
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“Police have advised that there is no immediate safety risk to our school and we will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation,” a spokesperson said. “The safety and well-being of our students, staff and families remains our top priority and we thank Peterstown Police for all their efforts on this matter.”
Police also said the case was a reminder that “as a parent, you can never be too careful or too interested in your children’s online activities,” CBS News reported.
Meyers is currently charged with 304 felonies, but investigators said further analysis of the equipment seized during his arrest could lead to additional charges, CBS News reported. 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 visit www.childhelp.org. All calls are free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual abuse, call the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 and text “STRENGTH” to be connected with a certified crisis counselor.
Read the original article on People
