At 2 AM one ordinary morning in June 2023, a 13-year-old boy hears a knock at his apartment door. He opens it… and there she is. A girl he thought was 14, homeschooled from Tampa. They’d been texting for weeks on TikTok. She made him feel seen, special. “You’re so mature,” she’d text. “Not like other boys.”

“Your parents won’t be home for hours,” she whispers as she steps inside.

But she wasn’t 14. She was 21—Alyssa Ann Zinger.

What started as secret visits turned into dozens of encounters over months. His parents at work, apartment empty. She came and went undetected.

Then the nightmare escalates: She starts texting his friends. Four more boys from Wilson Middle School. Ages 12 to 15. Same grooming script. Same lies about being their age. All believed she was just another teen.

November 24, 2023: Tampa Police knock on Alyssa Zinger’s door. Seven felony charges: lewd or lascivious battery and molestation. Judge sets bond with electronic monitoring. She complies… and walks free.

Detective Amanda Baranowski doesn’t stop. She digs deeper.

April 2024: Four more victims come forward. Police arrest her again. This time, 11 charges—including child pornography possession and transmission. In court, Judge Laura Ward looks her dead in the eye:

“You have shown no regard for the safety of these young boys. No terms of release would keep this community safe.”

Bond DENIED. She’s been locked up for 22 months and counting.

Trial set for May 2026. Conviction could mean over 250 years behind bars.

But then her father, Josh Zinger, gives a bombshell interview that leaves everyone stunned.

“She’s the real victim,” he insists. Calls the 13-year-old boy “that little bastard” who “seduced her.” Claims Alyssa has an IQ of 72—”mentally defective.” Lists ADHD, OCD, Tourette’s, anorexia. Says she grew up in a “good Christian home.”

“There will be no plea deal,” he predicts. “She’ll walk free.”

What Josh doesn’t know? When police first asked for her phone, he handed them the wrong one. “This is hers,” he said.

They got her real phone later. What detectives found made the case explode—evidence far worse, sealing her fate tighter.

Detective Baranowski testified in court: “There could be more victims. We’re still investigating.”

How many more middle school boys out there? What dark secrets were on that hidden phone her dad tried to swap? And how did a 21-year-old woman slip into so many young lives undetected?

This is grooming at its most chilling—preying on boys who thought they were the ones in control. The parents’ horror. The community’s outrage. A trial that could change everything.

If this shocks you, share it. Someone’s son could be next. Click below for the full timeline, court quotes, the father’s wild claims, what was REALLY on that phone, and why Tampa is still on edge in 2026…

In the Hyde Park neighborhood of Tampa, Florida, a disturbing case has unfolded involving allegations of a young woman using social media deception to engage in sexual acts with multiple underage boys. Alyssa Ann Zinger, now 25, faces serious felony charges after authorities say she posed online as a 14-year-old homeschooled girl to befriend and exploit middle school students from Wilson Middle School. The investigation, which began in late 2023, has expanded to include at least five confirmed victims, with detectives warning that more may exist. As her trial approaches in May 2026, the case has sparked intense debate over accountability, mental health defenses, and the vulnerability of children online.

Zinger, born January 15, 2001, was 22 at the time of her initial arrest. Prosecutors allege she created a fake persona on platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, presenting herself as a teenage girl to connect with boys aged 12 to 15. The first reported victim, a 13-year-old, reportedly began communicating with her online weeks before she appeared at his apartment one morning in June 2023. According to court documents and police reports, she visited his home multiple times—often when his parents were at work—leading to dozens of sexual encounters over several months. One victim described at least 30 incidents. She allegedly sent explicit photos and videos, including one depicting sexual acts shared via Snapchat to several boys.

By fall 2023, the pattern extended. Zinger reportedly contacted four additional friends introduced by the initial victim, all students at Wilson Middle School. They believed she was their age, unaware of her true identity as a 21- or 22-year-old adult. Tampa Police received tips about the inappropriate relationship with the first victim, leading to her arrest on November 24, 2023. She faced two counts of lewd or lascivious battery (engaging in sexual activity) and five counts of lewd or lascivious molestation (victim 12-15, defendant over 18). Bond was set with electronic monitoring conditions, which she reportedly followed, allowing pretrial release.

Detective Amanda Baranowski of the Tampa Police Department continued the probe. In April 2024, four more victims came forward, prompting a second arrest. Charges expanded significantly: two additional counts of lewd or lascivious molestation, two counts of lewd or lascivious battery, possession of child pornography, in-state transmission of child pornography via electronic device, and sexual cyber harassment. At a pretrial detention hearing, Judge Laura Ward denied bond, stating Zinger had “shown no regard for the safety of these young boys” and that no release conditions could protect the community. Zinger has remained in custody since, now over 22 months.

Zinger has pleaded not guilty. Her trial is scheduled to begin May 26, 2026, in Hillsborough County. If convicted on all counts, she faces a potential sentence exceeding 250 years in prison due to the stacking of severe felony charges involving minors.

The case took a controversial turn when Zinger’s father, Josh Zinger, spoke publicly in interviews, including with the New York Post (often misreported as “California Post” in some outlets). He described his daughter as the “real victim,” claiming the initial 13-year-old “seduced her” and even introduced her to his friends in a conspiratorial manner. Josh alleged Alyssa has an IQ of 72, labeling her “mentally defective,” and cited diagnoses of ADHD, ADD, OCD, Tourette’s syndrome, and anorexia. He portrayed her upbringing in a “good Christian home” in suburban Tampa as supportive despite her challenges, having seen multiple psychologists and psychiatrists. He predicted no plea deal, asserting she would be exonerated and avoid sex offender registration.

Prosecutors countered with evidence suggesting interference. When initially asked for Alyssa’s phone, Josh provided a different device. Detectives later obtained her actual phone, uncovering additional incriminating material that strengthened the case, including explicit content tied to the victims. Authorities have not publicly detailed the contents but noted it escalated the severity of charges.

Detective Baranowski testified that the investigation remains active, with the possibility of more victims. The boys, now older, have cooperated with authorities, highlighting the long-term impact of such exploitation. The case underscores risks of online grooming, where predators exploit trust and anonymity on social media. Tampa Police and the State Attorney’s Office emphasized that the victims are middle schoolers who were deceived about the perpetrator’s age and intentions.

Community reaction has been strong, with coverage from local outlets like WFLA, Tampa Bay Times, and national sources including Fox News and the New York Post amplifying the story. Zinger worked part-time at Publix before her arrests. No prior criminal history was noted in public records.

As the trial nears, questions linger: How many boys were truly affected? Could mental health factors influence sentencing or acquittal? And what safeguards can prevent similar deceptions? For now, Zinger awaits her day in court, while the alleged victims and their families seek justice in a case that has shaken Tampa.