Lincoln woman pleads not guilty to helping man pose as high schooler

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A Lincoln woman accused of helping a 26-year-old man enroll in high school has pleaded not guilty.

Angela Navarro, 23, entered the plea in a document filed in court on Wednesday.

On Friday, she paid a $450 bail to be released from jail.

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Police said Navarro posed as the mother of Zachary Scheich, now 27, who in turn posed as a high schooler.

He attended Lincoln Northwest and Lincoln Southeast high schools in 2023, pretending to be a teenager named Zak Hess, according to court documents.

During that time, he committed multiple sex crimes against female students, police said.

He faces nine felony charges: sex trafficking of a minor, first-degree sexual assault, first-degree sexual assault of a child, generation of child pornography, and five counts of child enticement with an electronic communication device.

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Scheich was arrested in July and has pleaded not guilty.

Navarro used the pseudonym Danielle Hess and helped Scheich register for classes, court documents allege.

She is charged with criminal impersonation. Her next court date has not been set.

Scheich is being held in the Lancaster County Jail on a $500,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 16.

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