A Florida woman, now 23 years old, has been ordered to be held in custody without bond after allegedly pretending to be a 14-year-old girl on social media and engaging in sexual encounters with multiple teenage boys she met online. The woman, identified as Alyssa Zinger, was first arrested in November on charges of lewd or lascivious battery and lewd or lascivious molestation.
Authorities began investigating Zinger after suspicions arose regarding her relationship with an underage boy. Further investigation revealed that she had allegedly communicated with four other victims, aged 13 and 14, on platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok while posing as a homeschooled student.
Recent records from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office show that Zinger was arrested again last week on multiple felony charges, including lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious battery, sexual cyber harassment, possession of child pornography, and in-state transmission of child pornography by electronic device.
During a court hearing, the judge emphasized the seriousness of the charges, stating that Zinger's actions were illegal and that she was the adult responsible in the situation. Zinger's attorney mentioned her client's documented emotional and developmental challenges, but prosecutors argued that her school records did not indicate any delays in development.
Zinger has been prohibited from accessing electronics while in jail and is scheduled for her next court appearance on April 16 as the investigation continues.
