Carlton Man Suspected Serial Sexual Predator

Bail is $2.5 million for 32 felony counts, nearly all sex crimes.

Robert Koester is accused of sexually assaulting both minor and adult females since 1994. Photo: Yamhill County Sheriff's Office

(YAMHILL COUNTY, Ore.) - The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, in conjunction with the Carlsbad (California) Police Department are asking for the public’s help in identifying potential victims of a suspected serial sexual predator named Robert Arnold Koester.

It is believed that Koester sexually assaulted both minor and adult females and has potentially been engaging in these criminal acts since 1994.

52-year old Robert Koester's residence and outbuildings were used as photography studios, in the 16000 block of NW Meadowlake Road in rural Carlton.

Koester, who has also used the names “Bert Kay”, “Rhake Winter” and “Qitooly”, was arrested by the Carlsbad Police Department on November 13, 2018 on sex related crimes under California criminal code.

He remains in custody and has since been charged with two federal counts of production of child pornography based on an FBI investigation in Southern California.

Last week, a Yamhill County Grand Jury charged Koester with 32 felony counts, involving four separate victims, one of which was a minor.

His bail is $2.5 million dollars on multiple counts of the following:

• Rape in the First Degree
• Sodomy in the First Degree
• Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree
• Causing Another Person to Ingest a Controlled Substance

If you have information about this ongoing investigation or believe you or someone you know may have been victimized by Robert Arnold Koester, the FBI and the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office requests that you complete a secure, confidential online questionnaire.

This questionnaire can be found at: FBI.gov/ModelCase

This questionnaire is only intended to collect information. Based on the responses provided, the FBI or other Law Enforcement Agency will contact you for additional information, if needed.

Identified victims may be eligible for certain services and rights under federal and/or state law.

Additional Resources:

• FBI Help for Victims Brochure
• Caring for Kids: What Parents Need to Know About Sexual Abuse
• Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
• Suicide Prevention Lifeline
• American Psychological Association resources on sexual abuse
• Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN)
• National Center for Victims of Crime

Information from the public may also be submitted confidentially via e-mail to: ModelCase@fbi.gov

Source: Yamhill County Sheriff's Office; FBI