Tampa woman, 22, arrested on child sex charges after posing as 14-year-old, police say
Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2024 7:42 pm
https://www.tampabay.com/news/breaking- ... olice-say/:
Alyssa Ann Zinger, 22, was arrested in November on multiple charges related to sexual acts involving children.
A 22-year-old Tampa woman has been accused of posing as a 14-year-old girl while having a sexual relationship with a child and sending explicit photos and videos to additional children, according to court records.
Alyssa Ann Zinger was arrested by Tampa police on Nov. 24 on two counts of lewd and lascivious battery, and five counts of lewd or lascivious molestation on a victim who was 12 to 15 years old. According to a search warrant, Zinger contacted a child over Snapchat, posed as a homeschooled student and had a sexual relationship with the child.
Court records state Zinger waived her right to an arraignment and has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Zinger was released from jail the day of her arrest after she paid a $7,500 bond on each second-degree felony charge, records show.
According to the warrant, Tampa police began investigating Zinger earlier this year.
During the investigation, one person told police that Zinger sent a video to several children through Snapchat depicting sexual intercourse. Multiple victims said they believed Zinger was near their age and homeschooled, the warrant states.
The search warrant does not identify any minors involved in the case, nor does it specify the number of victims. However, Tampa police said on Friday that Zinger had an inappropriate relationship with a boy who was between the ages of 12 and 15.
According to the warrant, Zinger met a victim at the end of May through Snapchat and primarily communicated over social media during their relationship.
A victim told police they had a sexual relationship with Zinger that began in late May and ended in mid-September. The victim stated they engaged in sexual activities several times and that Zinger sent sexually explicit photos and videos, the warrant states.
Additionally, Zinger told a victim that she previously engaged in sexual activities with other minors, according to the warrant.
In July, Zinger and a victim were caught shoplifting from Nordstrom at International Plaza and Bay Street. Zinger identified herself to an officer using her name, but stated she was born in 2009. The officer could not find information on her with the date of birth she provided, but found an Alyssa Ann Zinger who was born in 2001.
Zinger told the officer she had a half-sister with the same name, the search warrant states.
The officer requested government, school and employment records about Zinger, which showed she was an adult, the warrant states. Later, employers at a Tampa Publix where Zinger worked also confirmed she was an adult.
Tampa police said they believe there are more victims. Anyone with information can call Tampa police at 813-231-6130.