Adult sexual predator who enrolled in high school to find victims receives whopping prison term 

26-year-old had at least 43 victims, some as young as 13 

A man who lied about his age and infiltrated high school classes to prey on dozens of minors could easily spend the rest of his life in prison. 

Zachary Scheich, now 27, pled no contest to child enticement with electronic communication, generation of child pornography (age 19 or over), two counts of first-degree sexual assault and attempted first degree sexual assault, reports Lincoln, Nebraska’s KOLN. He was sentenced to 85-120 years in prison. 

The guilty pleas came as part of a deal with prosecutors, who dropped other charges.  

Police in Lincoln told local media Scheich spent two months posing as a 17-year-old student at one school, then transferred to another school for more than 50 additional days using the same assumed name at each school.  

Judge Dara Ideus, in explaining the long sentence, said the fraudulent enrollment was an “elaborate scheme” to give Scheich access to children for the purposes of sexual exploitation, reported the state’s Grand Island Independent. 

Because of the deliberate circumstances of the crime, Scheich poses a “substantial” risk to the community said the judge, reported the Omaha World-Herald.  

“They knew not to speak with an adult male on social media. They knew not to meet an adult male by themselves.They knew how to defend themselves against that kind of danger,” Ideus told Scheich when handing down the sentence. “Sir, they did not know how to protect themselves against you. Because again, they thought you were their peer. Their friend. And because you gained their trust.”  

Scheich must spend at least 41 years behind bars before he is eligible for parole. He must also register as a sex offender, said KOLN.  

Scheich’s father Jeff Scheich, who is a pastor at a Lincoln church, said he and his wife were “horrified” when they first learned of the allegations. “Our prayers have been for anyone and everyone who might have been hurt,” they said in a statement.  

Police said Scheich used his slight stature of 5’-4’’ and 120 pounds to blend in with students, reported Fox News.  

Among the allegations in court documents and the arrest affidavit are that he sent sexually explicit messages to a 14-year-old student in February and March 2023 and encouraged a 13-year-old student to send him nude photos, for which she was paid, said local KETV Omaha.  

Deputy County Attorney Amber Schlote called Scheich “a predator of the worst kind that preys on children,” said the Grand Island Independent. “He was, simply put, a master manipulator and predator,” she said, adding the fake teenager had at least 43 victims.  

Scholte asked for a lengthy sentence because Scheich was fully aware of the gravity of his crimes. She thanked those who came forward to stop Scheich.  

“Because of your bravery the defendant was stopped and other innocent children have been spared the same fate,” she said, according to the World-Herald. “For that, you are heroes.” 

Police say Scheich texted some girls for months and even met their parents, notes the Independent.  

Police say an investigation commenced in June 2023 after they received reports of someone impersonating a student. The subsequent investigation revealed that Scheich was 26 and had actually graduated high school in 2015.  

“Continuing investigation led to the discovery of multiple contacts with juvenile students by Scheich under the false name of Hess. This generated information sufficient for an arrest warrant,” said a statement by Lincoln Police.  

The district admits none of the documents used by Scheich to enroll online were verified, NBC News reported. 

“We take students’ words for these documents. We’re reviewing all of our enrollment processes right now,” Matt Larson, Lincoln Public Schools associate superintendent for educational services, told NBC.  

In a question-and-answer session, the district said it was provided fraudulent copies of Scheich’s birth certificate, immunization records, physicals and transcripts. The district claims it followed all state and federal laws regarding enrollment. 

“This is a very serious situation, and we are concerned that this happened. Once it was reported to us that an adult was posing as a student, we turned it over to law enforcement to begin investigating,” said Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Paul Gausman.  

Charges of criminal impersonation are still pending against Scheich’s alleged co-conspirator, Angela Navarro, 23, who police say posed as his mother to advance the enrollment scheme.