26-Year-Old Man Who Posed as High Schooler Pleads Not Guilty To Coaxing Explicit Photos From Teen Girls

A 26-year-old man from Nebraska who posed as a high schooler pleaded not guilty to multiple charges after he allegedly coaxed teenage girls into sending him explicit photos.

Zachary Scheich is facing one count of sex trafficking a minor and two counts of child enticement, Omaha World-Herald reported. He was scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on Wednesday, but he entered a written not-guilty plea and waived his appearance.

Prosecutors alleged that Scheich posed as a 17-year-old and enrolled in high school by forging birth, medical and education records. He also used an alias, according to 1011 News.

He then began communicating with underage girls through texts and social media, prosecutors said. Scheich allegedly pressured girls into sexual acts or sending sexually explicit pictures of themselves.

Scheich originally graduated from Lincoln Southeast High School in 2015. He attended Lincoln Northwest High School in the fall of 2022 and Southeast in the spring of 2023. He attended the schools for 54 days total, 1011 News reported.

Assistant Chief Brian Jackson told the outlet that Scheich is 5′4″, 120 pounds and “appears to have blended in with other students.”

Jackson added that Scheich went to classes and interacted with students, but he wasn't a "frequent attendee."

Lincoln Public Schools told 1011 News that they are reviewing their enrollment policies.

“I don’t foresee changes because of the requirement we have to educate all kids,” Joe Wright, security director for LPS, said. “But something like this makes us look to where we could go, and we just started that process.”

Police executed a search warrant on July 11 at Scheich's apartment. Officials obtained his cell phone, which contained texts between him and 13- and 14-year-old girls.

Scheich was charged in July. If convicted, he faces 20 years to life on the sex trafficking charge and three to 50 years on each of the enticement charges.