Alyssa Zinger, a 23-year-old woman from Tampa, Florida, was ordered to be held in custody without bond for allegedly pretending to be a 14-year-old girl on social media and engaging in sexual encounters with multiple teenage boys she met online. She was first arrested in November on charges of lewd or lascivious battery and lewd or lascivious molestation. Detectives, while investigating her relationship with one underage boy, discovered four other victims aged 13 and 14. Zinger allegedly communicated with the boys through Snapchat and TikTok while posing as a homeschooled student. She 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.
Prior to the April 4 arrest, Zinger was out of jail on pre-trial release. However, a judge denied her bond on some of the new charges, emphasizing her illegal actions towards the teenage boys. Zinger’s attorney mentioned her emotional and developmental challenges documented by an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) during her school years, as well as switching schools in high school. Prosecutors disputed this claim, stating that her school records do not show any developmental delays. The investigation into this case is ongoing, and Zinger has been ordered to not have access to electronics while in jail. Her next court appearance is scheduled for April 16.
The judge, identified as Laura Ward, expressed concern about Zinger’s illegal actions towards the teenage boys and emphasized that she was the only adult involved in the situation. Zinger’s attorney highlighted her client’s documented challenges from her school years but prosecutors argue that there is no evidence of developmental delays in her school records. The ongoing investigation aims to uncover additional details about Zinger’s interactions with the teenage boys. Zinger has been ordered to abstain from using electronics while in custody, with her next hearing scheduled for April 16.
Zinger was charged with lewd or lascivious battery and lewd or lascivious molestation after being suspected of having a sexual relationship with an underage boy. The investigation uncovered four other victims aged 13 and 14, with whom Zinger allegedly communicated through social media platforms while posing as a homeschooled student. Her recent arrest included charges of 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. The judge denied Zinger bond on some of the new charges due to the severity of her actions towards the teenage boys.
Zinger’s attorney referenced her documented emotional and developmental challenges from her school years, as well as her school switch in high school. However, prosecutors contested this claim by stating that her school records do not show any developmental delays. Zinger has been ordered to not have access to electronics while in jail as the investigation into her case continues. The judge emphasized the illegal nature of Zinger’s actions towards the teenage boys, noting that she was the only adult responsible in the situation. Zinger’s next court appearance is set for April 16, where further details about the case may emerge.
