Tampa Police say that Alyssa Ann Zinger posed as a teenager to sexually assault an underage boy and that they do not believe it is an isolated incident.

A Florida woman is facing felony charges for allegedly posing online as a homeschooler to sexually assault an underage boy.

22-year-old Alyssa Ann Zinger was arrested in Tampa on Nov. 24 and taken to jail; she faces two counts of lewd or lascivious battery and five counts of lewd or lascivious molestation. The police do not believe this was an isolated incident.

“It is disturbing and unsettling to see an adult take advantage of a child and prey on them,” Chief Lee Bercaw said in a statement. “Anyone who may have been a victim of Zinger’s, we encourage you to come forward. The Tampa Police Department will support you and ensure a predator like Zinger doesn’t cause you or others additional harm.”

Police say they were tipped off that Zinger allegedly had a relationship with a child between the ages of 12 and 15, and that following an investigation, they learned that she “communicated with the victim primarily through an online social media platform.”

  • oDDmON@lemmy.world
    61·
    7 months ago

    According to a search warrant obtained by the Tampa Bay Times, that platform was Snapchat.

    Figured one of the image based platforms.

    The warrant detailed additional information about at least one relationship that allegedly spanned from May through September. Zinger allegedly sent explicit material to the minor and “engaged in sexual activities several times” with him.

    I don’t get the mindset that leads to these kinds of actions.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
      72·
      7 months ago

      Figured one of the image based platforms.

      It is image-based, but it can be used entirely as an instant messaging platform too. My daughter basically never takes pictures with the app, but she chats with all of her friends on it. That is apparently the 13-year-old messaging app of choice, at least around here. From what I can tell second-hand, it’s becoming the same mess of features no one asked for and enshittification in the attempt to turn itself into an everything app that every other social media platform suffers from.