TAMPA, Fla. – A Florida woman faced a judge in Tampa for allegedly posing as a teenager to trick at least five boys under the age of 14 into dating her.
Investigators said even family and friends of those boys met Alyssa Zinger, 22, under the guise that she was a teenager.
In a hearing on Tuesday to determine if Alyssa Zinger walks free until her trial, Judge Laura Ward did not hold back on the evidence placed in front of her.
“What we know is you have been the adult. You have been praying upon them. You have been taking advantage of them. You have been abusing them, based on the allegations stated before,” said Judge Ward.
Judge Ward ordered Zinger to remain in jail.
Zinger is accused of posing as a homeschooled 14-year-old, to sexually abuse at least five different teenagers between 13 and 14-years-old that she met on social media sites TikTok and Snapchat in 2023.
Detective Amanda Baranowski testified on Monday about what she uncovered, included alleged abuse of young boys.
One victim told investigators Zinger got jealous of his new girlfriend and started sharing revenge porn.
“He indicated that a sexually explicit video of himself and another minor was being circulated through Snapchat,” Baranowski said.
Throughout the testimony, the judge took note of Zinger’s response to the claims.
“Every time something happens that the state puts on that maybe you disagree with you shake your head no,” she said. “You don’t seem to understand that the problem is not who recorded the video. The problem is you are in multiple videos with young boys 13 and 14 years old, you are an adult, you are manipulating, taking advantage of these young boys,” said Judge Ward.
She also called out Zinger’s parents, who were present in the courtroom., for their actions during the search warrant.
“What I can’t understand is when they are trying to help you to the extent that it interferes with a criminal investigation and to the extent that it helps you evade accountability and responsibility,” said Judge Ward.
Body camera video shows her parents handing over a phone to police but processing suggests it was actually her mother’s old phone. One that never downloaded social media accounts and had not placed a call since 2021.
Prosecutors would not say if criminal charges are possible for her parents.
Meanwhile, investigators are looking into more possible victims.
Zinger has an arraignment scheduled for April 16.