25 Year Old Woman Pretended To Be A Young Teen So She Could Prey On Young Children, Her Father Says She's The Real Victim

The father of Alyssa Ann Zinger, the 25-year-old Tampa woman accused of catfishing as a 14-year-old homeschooler to sexually exploit multiple middle school boys, is doubling down, insisting she is the actual victim in this shocking Florida case.

Zinger faces a barrage of felony charges, including lewd or lascivious battery, lewd or lascivious molestation, possession of child pornography, transmission of child pornography via electronic device, and sexual cyber harassment.

Prosecutors allege she created a fake social media persona as a homeschooled teen to target boys aged 12-15, mostly from Woodrow Wilson Middle School in Tampa's Hyde Park area, engaging in dozens of sexual acts with at least one victim and sharing explicit content via Snapchat and other platforms.

First arrested in November 2023, she was released on pretrial bond but rearrested in April 2024 when four additional alleged victims came forward. She's been held without bond ever since, with her trial now set for May 26, 2026.

Yet her father, Josh Zinger, paints a dramatically different picture in recent interviews, claiming his daughter is "mentally defective" and has been exploited due to her vulnerabilities. He described her upbringing in a "good Christian home" in suburban Tampa, where she battled ADHD, ADD, OCD, Tourette’s syndrome, anorexia, and other issues, seeing 10 to 12 mental health professionals over the years. He cited a 72 IQ score as evidence of her intellectual disability."She's defective... mentally defective," he said, arguing that Florida law prohibits sexual activity with someone who is mentally defective, regardless of age—suggesting the boys took advantage of her instead

He alleged one boy discovered her social media profile, where she appeared to be "dancing like a 13-year-old," and lured her to his family's upscale downtown apartment with promises of an Uber ride and hangouts—knowing her real age and instability. The father claimed the teen then "harbored" her for five months and introduced her to friends in what he described as a casual, celebratory rotation: "'Hey, this girl is 14,' wink, wink, high-five, high-five, 'Your turn, bud.'""This all will be proven in court," he insisted, predicting no plea deal, no sex offender registration, and ultimately her release after time served.

Josh Zinger also complained about her jail conditions, alleging mistreatment by inmates, including tampering with her food.

Authorities and prosecutors maintain the evidence shows Zinger as the deliberate predator who targeted vulnerable minors while posing as one of them. The case remains ongoing, with the community still reeling from the allegations of a calculated scheme to prey on children.