A Nebraska man, Zachary Scheich, 27, has been sentenced to serve between 85 and 120 years in prison for masquerading as a high school student to exploit teenage girls. Using the alias “Zach Hess,” he re-enrolled at Lincoln Southeast High School, where he had previously graduated in 2015. Jurors found that Scheich sexually assaulted over a dozen girls, including some as young as 13. His height of 5’4″ allowed him to blend in with the student body.
Scheich was convicted on multiple charges, including sexual assault, child enticement through electronic communication, and the production of sexually explicit images of minors. His scheme, which lasted for two years, involved fabricating a complex backstory and submitting fraudulent documents such as a birth certificate and high school transcripts. Angela Navarro, 23, is accused of posing as Scheich’s mother for school conferences under the name “Danielle Hess.” She faces charges of criminal impersonation and has claimed that Scheich manipulated her; her relationship with him remains unclear. Navarro has pleaded not guilty and is currently out on bond awaiting trial.
During his time at two different high schools, Scheich spent 54 days enrolled and had truancy reports sent to a fake address once he stopped attending. Prosecutors reported that he communicated with girls through text and Snapchat, flirted, sent them money, and solicited explicit photos, which police later discovered on his phone. An investigation began after parents reported suspicious interactions between Scheich and their daughters.
At his sentencing, Scheich did not speak but submitted a letter to the judge that was not read aloud. He previously pleaded no contest in July, reducing the number of felony charges against him from 15 to five. The lengthy sentence reflects the significant number of victims affected by his actions, which Lancaster District Judge Darla S. Ideus noted had changed the life trajectories of the girls involved. Many victims have experienced worsening grades and anxiety.
During the hearing, the judge emphasized, “The children you exploited were not equipped to protect themselves because they thought you were their peer.” One victim expressed the lasting impact of Scheich’s actions in a statement, saying, “I am supposed to feel safe in school, and I no longer feel safe in a place that I used to. I’m so guarded that anyone who tries to talk to me or get to know me, I shut it down. I never believe what anyone says anymore. My trust is so broken that even if I want to believe someone, I can’t.” Scheich will be eligible for parole in 40 years.
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