A former assistant principal at Wylie East High School is facing new federal child exploitation charges after an earlier arrest on state charges involving alleged inappropriate relationships with minors.
Federal prosecutors announced that Zachary Christian Neu, 32, of Richardson, has been indicted on two counts of enticement of a minor. Neu appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Aileen Durrett on June 17, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas.
Neu was employed as an assistant principal at Wylie East High School at the time of the alleged offenses. Wylie Independent School District has since confirmed that the district no longer employs him.
Federal Charges Follow State Arrest
The federal indictment comes weeks after Neu was arrested by the Wylie Police Department and charged with solicitation of prostitution of a person younger than 18 and improper relationship between an educator and a student, both second-degree felonies under Texas law.
According to investigators, the case began after a recent Wylie East graduate reported alleged inappropriate communications from Neu shortly after graduation.
Court records indicate that the student told authorities that Neu followed her on social media and later moved the conversations to Snapchat. Investigators allege the messages became increasingly sexual and included discussions about meeting in person.
Police said Neu allegedly offered to provide alcohol and money for lingerie in exchange for sexual conduct. Investigators wrote in an affidavit that the communications appeared consistent with grooming behavior.
A federal grand jury later returned an indictment charging Neu with two counts of enticement of a minor.
If convicted on the federal charges, Neu could face substantial prison time under federal sentencing guidelines.
Second Student Identified During Investigation
Authorities said a second alleged victim was identified after Neu’s arrest.
According to court documents, the student, who is expected to be a senior during the upcoming school year, told investigators that Neu began communicating with her through TikTok and text messages earlier this year.
The student alleged that the conversations became sexual and that Neu sent photographs of himself in his underwear. She also told investigators the two met in a Sachse parking lot, where Neu allegedly kissed her and touched her inappropriately.
Investigators said a review of Neu’s cellphone data revealed messages and other evidence that corroborated portions of the student’s account.
The allegations formed the basis of the state charge alleging an improper relationship between an educator and a student.
School District Responds
Following Neu’s arrest, Wylie ISD said it immediately reported the allegations to appropriate authorities and cooperated with law enforcement.
The district also encouraged parents to discuss appropriate communication boundaries with their children and to report interactions with adults that make them uncomfortable.
Neu had worked for the district since 2017.
Ongoing Investigation
The case is being investigated by the Wylie Police Department and the FBI as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, a nationwide program aimed at combating child sexual exploitation.
Federal prosecutors have not released additional details regarding the alleged conduct underlying the enticement charges.
Neu remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. Both the federal and state cases remain pending.
