Carlsbad photographer Robert Koester has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexual misconduct. He was accused of sexually assaulting and raping teen models he was paid to photograph, and the evidence suggests that some of them were even drugged and unconscious during the abuse.
The Sun Diego Union Tribune writes that the 52-year-old photographer was initially accused when one of his victims came forward back in 2018. The 16-year-old girl posed for him as he’d been sub-contracted by her modeling agency, Frank, according to NBC 7. The girl met with Koester on 12 November 2018 for the shoot, after which she accused him of sexual misconduct and reported him to the police. The police arrested him a day later at his home, where they reportedly found evidence of the sex crime.
According to NBC 7, Koester was arrested on several counts, including “sexual battery, possession of child pornography and sexual penetration.” He posted bail and he was released, but more accusations followed the initial one. Four more models came forward, and Koester was eventually hit with 35 felony charges. The FBI has stated that some of Koester’s alleged criminal acts date back to 1994.
Koester reportedly pleaded guilty last month in Superior Court to 23 felonies. According to The Sun Diego Union Tribune, he is due to be transferred to San Diego federal custody to begin his federal case. Then, he will likely be extradited to Yamhill County in Oregon to face state and federal prosecution, and he will spend 25 years in jail.
It was honestly very hard for me to process all this while I was writing. Koester was sub-contracted by a modeling firm. Models, their parents, and the modeling firm trusted him. And if all the accusations are true, he had been sexually assaulting young girls for 25 years!
I honestly hope that this disturbing case will help to change something in the industry. I hope that it will raise an alarm and for modeling agencies and parents of young girls and boys who want to work as models. I would like for all victims to be brave and speak up about cases like this. This way, those who are guilty can be caught before more damage is done. And needless to say, I hope that all responsible for crimes like this will end up where they belong – behind bars.
[via FStoppers; image credits: Bill Oxford on Unsplash]
This happens all too often in our industry which is sad. One of my friends who also does modeling was drugged and raped by a so called photographer here and he walked on the charge and the 2nd one disappeared and avoided prosecution.
I am so sorry about your friend! I hope cases like this will sound an alarm for everyone, from modeling agencies to kids entering the modeling world.
Oh so do I….she models for myself as well and it made me sick when she told me what happened….she took some time off from modeling for awhile after, but went back to it. Now when she goes out to do a shoot, she brings me along for safety. But another part of the problem is the police….alot of police forces and officers won’t believe a model who does lingerie/boudoir or nude modeling and will assume the sex was consensual.
this is wrong… “a photographer” refers to a persons occupation or at least hobby.. .not a type or catagory of person … it does not define the nature of the person… we all take photographs… the rapist is exactly that …a rapist… lets not label everyone who takes photographs.
They aren’t photographers, they are guys with cameras and rapists
A few years back some folks figured out they could shoot nudes all day and say it was art vs spending all day at the stripclub
He’s a photographer and a rapist.
sickening, and sadly taints the industry …. :'(
Damn, i hope they dont find me!?
What about the ones that are more well known who’s victim are given contracts to to lucrative careers and summed it up to that’s just how it is in the industry just from the recommendation of said sexually perversed photographer. This is just another from of high end trafficking which all the elites has accepted as the norm
Bad apples in every hobby or profession I am sure he would have been the same creep doing any other activity
25 years doesn’t seem like much. Even though we know what is done to rapists in jails… especially when they touch young girls.
I wish him 25 years of abuse in every way possible.
Sad to say, these people exist and they exist everywhere. Doctors, lawyers, engineers, customer service reps, even ditch diggers. Another word for this “photographer” is man. Sick twisted and demented, but just a man and I hope he gets what’s coming to him in prison.
ONLY 25 years? these were under aged girls, shouldnt he have gotten at least that per victim?
Well, he’s 52, 25 years takes him to 77, if the average life expectancy is 78 years, there’s a nearly 50% chance he’s dead before he gets out. And, I can imagine that life expectancy in prison is probably lower than for the general public.
That literally gave me pain in my head. I hope he has the same experience in prison.
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/robert-koester-model-photographer-accused-assault-abuse-misconduct-sexual-minor-plea-guilty-561451771.html?amp=y Idiots like this ruin it for everyone