Balkan Balk: Pennsylvania Honors Student Was 23-Year-Old Ukrainian

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Cops: Pennsylvania Honors Student Was 23-Year-Old Ukrainian

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Feb 25, 2016, 9:46 AM ET 4 Shares

Police say a central Pennsylvania high school honors student was actually a 23-year-old Ukrainian national using a false identity after his visa expired.

Artur Samarin was arrested and charged Tuesday by the Harrisburg police.

Police say he pretended to be Harrisburg High School student Asher Potts, who had a 4.16 grade-point average and was in the National Honor Society. Samarin was actively involved at the school, working with a student advisory group on a food bank, and a member of the school's ROTC and Naval Sea Cadet programs.

Police say he had a Pennsylvania driver's license in Potts' name when he was arrested. They believe the identity was made up and that no person's identity was compromised.

Online court records don't list an attorney for Samarin, who remained in the Dauphin County jail Thursday on charges including identity theft and tampering with public records