A 26-year-old man accused of enrolling in two different Nebraska high schools and posing as a student has been arrested for sex crimes.
Zachary Scheich was taken into custody Thursday at Lincoln’s Walt Library, KOLN reported. He faces two counts of sexual assault with use of an electronic communication device, which includes any attempt to “knowingly solicit, coax, entice or lure” a child 16 years or younger to engage in sexual activity, according to the Lincoln Police Department.
Police said Scheich pretended to be a 17-year-old named Zak Hess when he went to classes at Northwest and Southeast high schools in Lincoln. He graduated from the same school district in 2015 — but at just 5′4″ and 120 pounds, he was able to easily blend in with his “classmates.” He also used a phony birth certificate, an out-of-district high school transcript and immunization records when he enrolled.
”He attended school as a student, he attended classes. That was the initial investigation,” Lincoln Assistant Police Chief Brian Jackson told reporters. “And as the investigation progressed, we learned of additional contacts he had with juvenile students.”
Scheich managed to keep up the ruse for 57 days. Authorities initially started investigating on June 1 “after being alerted to an individual impersonating a student,” Jackson added.
According to court documents obtained by KLKN, Scheich traded text messages with minors. In some exchanges, he would “discuss things like classwork and high school sports,” according to the affidavit. In others, Scheich allegedly asked for “pornographic material” from a classmate whom he had previously paid.
During an interview with authorities, Scheich allegedly admitted to pretending to be a student at the school and sending explicit messages to children but said he did not sexually assault any of them.
Jackson noted officers are still working to “identify the scope of his actions.” He did not specify how many alleged victims there are, citing the active investigation.
Scheich was being held Saturday at the Lancaster County jail.