Police accused a Nebraska man of committing sex crimes against teenage girls while posing as a student.
Twenty-six-year-old suspect Zachary , who allegedly used the alias “Zak Hess” to attend 54 days of class at Northwest and Southeast high schools, has been arrested and charged with sex crimes against underage girls, according to KLKN 8 ABC.
Assistant Police Chief Brian Jackson said 26-year-old Zach Scheich attended 54 days of class at Northwest and Southeast high schools last semester.
https://t.co/dl1MhkhNKe— Channel 8 KLKN-TV (@Channel8ABC) July 20, 2023
“I’ve been in the district for 10 years, and this is the first time that I can remember something like this happening,” Lincoln Public Schools Director of Security Joe Wright said. (RELATED: NBC News Dragged For Hiding Sexually Explicit Details In Book Taught To Middle Schoolers)
Scheich, who blended in with other students, was arrested Thursday at a library. The 5-foot-4 and 120 pound 2015 graduate of the same school district, was charged with two counts of sexual assault using an electronic device and sex trafficking a minor.
The suspect provided false identification to enroll in both public high schools, police say, according to the outlet. Minimum requirements for enrollment include a birth certificate, immunization records and transcripts. Nebraska state law prohibits the addition of further requirements.
Authorities notified parents at both schools of his alleged crimes with a letter containing a timeline of events.
The school district first received a report that an adult male was attending the school on May 31, leading to the investigation. It then concluded in July that Scheich posed as a student during the 2022-2023 school year using a fake name, according to the timeline cited by.
The suspect started attending Northwest High School on Oct. 20, 2022 before transferring to Southeast High School on Jan. 12, 2023, according to the schools’ timeline, the outlet reported.
“In light of this incident, LPS is reviewing our enrollment procedures,” a spokesperson for the school district said.