A Nebraska man was reportedly convicted of impersonating a 17-year-old high school student

A 27-year-old man who posed as a Nebraska high school student to molest teenage girls has been sentenced to 85 to 120 years in prison, according to multiple reports.

Zachary Scheich, known to his peers as 17-year-old “Zak Hess,” disguised himself as a high school student for over 50 days to exploit and sexually abuse over a dozen girls, some as young as 13, The Washington Post and KOLN reported.

Sheikh stood out among other students because of his height of 5'4″ and weight of 120 pounds, Lincoln police said. He attended several schools in the Lincoln Public Schools District.

Although Sheikh passed as a student, he actually graduated from the same district in 2015, Lincoln Deputy Police Chief Brian Jackson said at a press conference in July 2023.

USA TODAY contacted Lancaster County authorities on Monday but did not receive a response. It is unclear who is legally representing Sheikh.

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Judge scolds Zachary Scheich during verdict

Lancaster County Judge Darla S. Ideus handed down the sentence on Sept. 11 on charges of sexual assault, enticement of children by electronic communication and creation of sexually explicit images of children, the Washington Post reported. Sheikh did not speak during the sentencing but submitted a letter to the judge that was not read in court, the newspaper said.

The lengthy prison sentence came after Sheikh pleaded no contest in July as part of an agreement to reduce the number of charges against him from 15 to five.

“The children you exploited were unable to protect themselves because they thought you were their equals,” Ideus said during the brief sentencing hearing, according to the Post.

How did Zachary Sheik get caught?

The investigation into Sheikh began on June 1, when Lincoln police were contacted by the school district. The district had discovered that a person was posing as a student under the name Zak Hess during the 2022-23 school year.

Hess, who was secretly Sheik, attended Northwest High School in his freshman semester and transferred to Southeast High School in his second semester. Investigators soon discovered that Hess was a 26-year-old who graduated from Lincoln Public Schools in 2015.

School records show that Scheich attended schools for a total of 54 days under the alias Hess, police said.

“I should feel safe at school”

During the sentencing, Ideus read the testimony of one of the girls Sheikh had bullied.

“I should feel safe at school, but I no longer feel safe in a place like I used to,” Ideus read from the girl's letter, according to the Post. “I'm so reserved that I brush off anyone who tries to talk to me or get to know me. I never believe what anyone says anymore. My trust is so broken that even when I want to believe someone, I can't.”

Lancaster County Assistant District Attorney Amber Schlote said the damage to Sheikh's victims was immeasurable, causing them to skip school, get poor grades, and suffer from anxiety, shame and a deep distrust of adults.

“It has undoubtedly changed the course of her life,” Schlote said, according to the Post.

In addition to Sheikh, a 23-year-old woman is also accused of identity fraud in this case. Angela Navarro pleaded not guilty and claims to have been manipulated by Sheikh, KOLN reported. She was arrested on September 29, 2023, according to the television station.

Navarro, who police said was 22 at the time, posed as Sheikh's mother and attended meetings with school counselors under the alias “Danielle Hess,” KOLN reported, citing an affidavit. Navarro is free on bail and awaits trial.

What did Lincoln Public Schools say about Zachary Sheikh?

Lincoln Public Schools sent out an alert to families at Northwest and Southeast high schools, police said. According to documents provided to USA TODAY by the school board, the alert gave families a detailed description of what happened.

• 20 October 2022: He began attending Northwest High School.

• January 12, 2023: He transferred to Southeast High School.

• May 31: The school district received a report that an adult male may be attending one of its high schools posing as a junior. The district's Student Services and Safety Department contacted police and turned the information over to police once it was discovered.

• July: Police confirmed that Zachary Scheich was enrolled and attended two high schools during the 2022-23 school year under the name Zak Hess.

• He was arrested in July 2023.

Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Paul Gausman and Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services Matt Larson spoke to community members in July 2023 and said the district had shared Hess's picture with schools and informed them that he would no longer be allowed on the premises while police tried to confirm his identity.

Officials also said the district follows state and federal requirements for student enrollment, which can be done online or in person. Regardless of whether someone applies online or in person, the district requires a birth certificate, proof of immunization, medical exams and transcripts, school administrators said.

The district said the man took advantage of the enrollment process by using fake documents. The district is now reviewing enrollment procedures.

Additional safety precautions have been put in place, such as multiple in-person meetings with parents and guardians trying to enroll students. District officials also said they will continue to accommodate families whose schedules do not allow for multiple meetings.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Zachary Sheikh convicted of impersonating a high school student