Nebraska
Pint-sized Nebraska predator Zachary Scheich, 27, sentenced to decades in prison for sexually assaulting students while posing as high school classmate
A pint-sized 27-year-old sicko who posed as a teenager and sexually assaulted high school students sat stonefaced in a Nebraska courtroom when he learned he would spend the rest of his life behind bars for his sex crimes.
For 54 days in 2023, Zachary Scheich “blended in with other students” when he pretended to be 17-year-old “Zak Hess” and attended classes at Southeast High School in Lincoln, Neb. where he committed the vile predatory attacks.
Scheich was sentenced on Wednesday to 85 to 120 years in prison for the felonies he faced including two counts of child enticement with electronic communication device, two counts of first-degree sexual assault/forcible touching, and an attempt of class two felony.
Nebraska high school students was sentenced to 120 years in prison. Lincoln Police
He originally faced nine felony charges, but were reduced as part of a plea deal in July.
The pedophile is eligible for parole in 41 years. Judge Darla Ideus gave Scheich credit for 419 days served.
“They knew not to speak with an adult male on social media. They knew not to meet an adult male by themselves, they knew how to defend themselves against that kind of danger,” Ideus said during the sentencing, KOLN reported.
“They did not know how to protect themselves against you. Because again, they thought you were their peer. Their friend. And because you gained their trust.”
Scheich devised a plan to enroll in the high school where he created a fraudulent birth certificate, immunization records and an “elaborate backstory,” according to the outlet.
He sought the help of his accomplice, 23-year-old Angela Navarro, to pose as his mother as he enrolled into Lincoln Northwest High School before transferring to Southeast where he asked for “pornographic material” from female student.
Between February and March 2023, Scheich sent sexually explicit messages to both a 13 and 14-year-old student.
He also tried to get the 13-year-old to meet up with him for sex, and even sent her money encouraging her to send nude pictures to him, KETV reported, citing an arrest affidavit.
Scheich was arrested on July 20, 2023 at a local library after police received a tip of an alleged impersonator posing as “Zak Hess” who had contacted female students by phone or computers.
The 5-foot-4, 120-pound monster, who graduated from Southeast High in 2015, reportedly cost the Lincoln Public Schools $6,000.
The district faced questions about how a man in his mid-20s managed to enroll in the first place following last year’s arrest.
Schools security chief Joe Wright said the minimum requirements for enrolling in a public high school are a birth certificate, immunization records and transcripts.
At the sentencing, Deputy County Attorney Amber Scholte described Scheich as “the worst kind of predator.”
“He targeted, groomed and lured them via social media,” Scholte said. “He did so under the guise of being their peer, their friend, and in some cases, their boyfriend. And he did so for his own sexual purpose and gratification.”
Navarro, who has acted under the pseudonym Danielle Hess, was arrested and charged with criminal impersonation.
She pleaded not guilty to the charge in April and was released from jail on a $450 bail.
LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – The Nebraska baseball team lost to Kansas 9-7 on Tuesday in front of a record crowd at Hoglund Park. The Huskers took an early lead on an RBI single by National Freshman of the Week Drew Grego. After giving up three unanswered runs, Nebraska rallied to go back in front on a 3rd-inning single by Will Jesske. Both Grego and Jesske finished with two hits in the game.
Kansas, however, took control in the middle innings. The Jayhawks got home runs from Tyson Owens and Josh Dykoff in the sixth frame. Both round-trippers came off NU relief pitcher Ty Horn. Kansas added insurance in the 7th inning before a late rally by the Huskers.
Nebraska trimmed a five-run deficit to two, but couldn’t complete the comeback on the road.
The Huskers’ loss is their second to the Jayhawks this season. Nebraska’s record drops to 31-10 overall.
Will Bolt’s team returns to action on Friday at Illinois. Game one is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. in Champaign.
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Copyright 2026 KOLN. All rights reserved.
Softball
April 21, 2026
Nebraska jumps up to No. 2 in college softball Power 10 rankings
April 21, 2026
Check out Michella Chester’s updated college softball Power 10 rankings for the week of April 21, which sees Nebraska rise to No. 2 behind an 11-game win streak.
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A deeper look tonight as First Alert 6 continues to dig deeper into the state of mental health care in Nebraska and possible solutions, ever since last week’s two instances involving law enforcement.
A Douglas County sheriff’s deputy was shot responding to a domestic call. Investigators said the suspect, Brian Huggins, had a history of behavioral health issues. Huggins died by suicide.
And then Noemi Guzman, who police say kidnapped a 3-year-old from inside an Omaha Walmart and cut him in the arm and face with a stolen kitchen knife. Omaha police officers shot and killed her before she could strike again.
Guzman had been on a court-ordered mental health treatment plan since last summer for her schizophrenia. According to court records, psychiatrists determined she could live in the community. Remember, this was after she was arrested for setting her father’s house on fire and threatening a priest with a knife.
Monitoring system
We wanted to know who is part of the system monitoring those who may not be following their mental health treatment plan and are a risk to others or themselves. When that happens, the Board of Mental Health will often notify the local sheriff so a warrant can be issued and deputies can track the individual down.
Here are the numbers since 2023:
In 2023, 842 warrants were issued for those not following their treatment plans according to the Board of Mental Health. In 2024, 756. In 2025, 690. So far in 2026, 190.
But out of these 2,500 warrants, 85% of them didn’t have a second warrant, meaning deputies picked them up, got them back into treatment and the individuals continued to thrive after the one hiccup.
But in 15% of these cases, the individuals messed up again and had another warrant issued by the Board of Mental Health. Twenty-five individuals had five or more issued in Douglas County.
Sheriff Hanson said there has to be a better way, a more team approach for this.
One model to explore is the way Nebraska’s problem-solving courts work like drug court and veterans’ treatment court where experts from a variety of stakeholders help individuals who are on the fringes to do everything to make them productive citizens.
Copyright 2026 WOWT. All rights reserved.
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