Police say an 18-year-old Peters Township High School senior ran a sprawling sextortion scheme that targeted teenage boys using fake social media profiles and threats to expose them.
The student, identified by investigators as Zachariah Meyers, was arrested yesterday and is now facing more than 300 felony charges. Authorities allege he posed online as an adult woman, pressured at least 21 boys into sending explicit photos or recording sexual acts, and in some cases directed them to film videos inside the school's wrestling locker room and in other encounters he allegedly choreographed.
According to WPXI, the investigation kicked off on Dec. 5, 2025, after tips came into Peters Township police. Detectives then interviewed roughly 30 juveniles and identified at least 21 alleged victims. Police say the boys, ages 14 to 17, reported being contacted on popular apps, including Snapchat and TikTok.
As reported by WTAE, investigators say Meyers used multiple social media accounts, including Telegram, to pose as an attractive adult and solicit explicit photos and videos. The station reports that he has been arraigned as the case moves into the court system.
Charging documents list a long roster of alleged offenses, including trafficking in minors, sexual abuse of children, sexual exploitation of children, unlawful contact with a minor, and sexual extortion, according to CBS Pittsburgh. Authorities say the total now exceeds 300 felony counts, and investigators allege evidence recovered from Meyers' phone links him to the social accounts used to target the teens.
District Says Campus Is Safe, Offers Support
In a statement cited by WTAE, the Peters Township School District said it was notified by police about the investigation. According to the district, officers indicated there was no immediate safety risk to students. School officials said they will cooperate fully with law enforcement and provide support resources for students and families while the case is ongoing.
Heavy Charges Under Pennsylvania Law
Pennsylvania law treats the allegations at the center of this case as serious felonies. Sexual extortion can be charged as a felony when an adult targets a minor, and trafficking in minors for sexual servitude can be prosecuted as a first-degree felony. More detail is outlined in Title 18, Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, and in Section 3133 on sexual extortion.
What Happens Next
Court records show Meyers is facing more than 300 felony charges and that he was taken into custody Friday, according to CBS Pittsburgh. The FBI's Pittsburgh field office urges anyone targeted in sextortion schemes not to delete messages, images or other potential evidence and to report the crime to local law enforcement or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, according to guidance from FBI Pittsburgh.
