A Peters Township High School senior is facing over 300 felony charges after investigators said he catfished and sextorted nearly two dozen minors. 

Zachariah Meyers, 18, is facing a slew of charges, including trafficking in minors, sexual abuse of children, sexual exploitation of children, unlawful contact with a minor and sexual extortion, in what police are calling a “catfishing” and “sextortion” scheme. 

Criminal complaint details scheme

According to the criminal complaint, Peters Township police identified at least 21 juvenile males victimized by Meyers. Police said Meyers catfished the minors on social media by pretending to be an adult film star from the Netherlands. 

The victims told police that Meyers asked them to send nude photos or make pornographic videos. In one case, Meyers coerced a victim into filming himself having sex with two men, with Meyers saying he needed something to “keep my silence,” police wrote in the criminal complaint. 

In another instance, police said Meyers asked a victim to hide his phone in the Peters Township High School wrestling locker room, which the victim did, filming 10 juveniles. 

Investigators said at least 14 teens sent pornographic images of themselves. Police said all but one of the victims believed they were talking with an “attractive young female.”  

Investigation leads to high school senior

Police said their investigation led them to Meyers, a senior at Peters Township High School. 

After executing a search warrant at Meyers’ home on Windermere Court on Friday morning, police said they took the teenager into custody.

Investigators said they searched Meyers’ phone and found evidence tying him to the social media accounts that victimized the minors. 

In a statement, the Peters Township School District said it was made aware of the investigation on Friday. The district said police have indicated that there’s no immediate safety risk, and the district will continue to cooperate with the investigation. 

“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 statement said.