The father of a Florida woman accused of posing as a teenager to molest five middle-school-age boys has made shocking claims about his daughter being the real victim of the sex crimes. Alyssa Ann Zinger, 25, was arrested for allegedly engaging in sexual acts with underage boys after creating a fake persona on social media as a homeschooled 14-year-old.
According to her father, Josh Zinger, Alyssa grew up in a “good Christian home” in suburban Tampa but struggled with various mental disorders, including ADHD, ADD, OCD, Tourette’s syndrome, and anorexia. He described her as “mentally defective” and claimed that she scored a 72 on an intelligence quotient test. Josh insisted that under the law, it is illegal to have sex with a mentally defective person, making Alyssa the real victim in this case.
Alyssa was first arrested in November 2023 for allegedly engaging in sexual acts with a boy between the ages of 12 and 15. Her father claimed that the boy seduced her and even took her virginity. He alleged that the boy knew her real age and that she was mentally unstable but still pursued a relationship with her.
Over the next five months, Alyssa was allegedly hidden by the boy in his family’s upscale apartment, where she was introduced to his middle-school-age friends, four of whom became additional alleged victims in the case against her. Despite the charges, Josh predicted that there would be no plea deal and that Alyssa would only receive time served.
In April 2024, authorities identified the four additional alleged victims, all of whom attended Wilson Middle School in Tampa. Alyssa has been held in jail without bail on multiple felony charges, including lewd or lascivious battery, possession of child pornography, and sexual cyber harassment. Her father claimed that she has been mistreated in jail, with foreign objects being found in her food.
Alyssa’s trial is set to begin on May 26. The first victim reported multiple instances of sexual activity with Alyssa, including explicit photos and videos being sent to him. Another victim stated that Alyssa sent a video of sexual intercourse to several children through Snapchat. The documents also revealed that Alyssa admitted to having sex with other teenagers.
Despite the disturbing nature of the accusations against her, Alyssa Zinger’s case highlights the complexities of mental health and its intersection with criminal behavior. The upcoming trial will shed more light on the circumstances surrounding these shocking allegations.
