A woman in Nebraska posed as a man’s mother to deceive school officials into believing he was a student at a high school, where he went on to sexually assault girls.
Angela Navarro, 23, was initially looking at a maximum of four years behind bars after being charged with felony criminal impersonation. The charge was reduced to misdemeanor criminal impersonation as part of the plea agreement. Records obtained by Law&Crime indicate that she pleaded guilty to misdemeanor child abuse.
Zachary Scheich reportedly enrolled at Lincoln Public Schools in October 2022, presenting himself as a 17-year-old student under the name Zak Hess, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit. In reality, he was 26 years old and had completed his studies in the district about seven years earlier.
He identified his mother as “Danielle Hess” during the enrollment process. He submitted a forged birth certificate, along with falsified immunization records and school transcripts.
Navarro eventually confessed that she went with Scheich to see a school counselor to enroll her “son” in classes while posing as “Danielle Hess.” Scheich attended class for over 50 days. Following a tip-off, school officials approached Navarro on June 1, 2023, and she maintained her act of being Scheich’s mother.
Ultimately, law enforcement dismantled their plan, leading to the arrest of both her and Scheich. Scheich entered a no-contest plea in July regarding charges of first-degree sexual assault, child enticement via a communication device, and the production of child pornography. A judge handed down a sentence in September, determining he would spend between 85 and 120 years behind bars, according to records from the Nebraska Department of Corrections.
Navarro’s sentencing is set for January 16.
As previously reported, the 5 foot 4, 120-pound Scheich reached out to several students using a fake name. In one instance, he transmitted inappropriate messages and attempted to arrange a meeting with a 13-year-old girl for sexual purposes, even offering her money in exchange for a nude selfie, as reported by ABC Omaha affiliate KETV.