Minneapolis Substitute Teacher Pleads Guilty in Child Porn Case
A Minneapolis elementary school substitute teacher has pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges involving child sexual abuse material.
He also admitted to soliciting someone he believed was a minor through online communication, court documents say.
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According to court filings in Hennepin County, 35-year-old Preston Casey Palmer admitted to six felony counts involving solicitation of a child through electronic communication, distribution of sexual material to a minor, possession and attempted dissemination of pornographic work involving minors under 14. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss the remaining charges as part of a plea deal accepted this week.
PREVIOUSLY: Teacher Facing 14 Felonies After Child Porn Sting at Minneapolis Park
The case began May 14 when Minneapolis Park Police responded to a park near the 2700 block of 39th Avenue South after receiving a report that Palmer had been communicating online with people he believed were a boy and his father. In reality, the messages were part of a months-long sting operation conducted by self-proclaimed “predator hunter” Alex Rosen, who tracks and exposes child exploitation activity. Officers arrived and detained Palmer, who was a substitute teacher at an elementary school located next to the park.
Investigators learned that Palmer had been communicating online since March with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old boy. The conversations were graphic and sexual in nature, with Palmer reportedly sending explicit photos, discussing child sexual abuse material, and identifying himself as a teacher. During the exchanges, Palmer referred to himself as a “naughty uncle,” made repeated references to sexual acts involving children, and told the person he had collections of child sexual abuse videos and images that he stored on what he called his “pedophone.”
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When officers arrested Palmer, a flash drive and cell phone were seized. A forensic review found more than 18,000 files organized into over 1,000 folders, including videos and images depicting children engaged in sexual acts. Many of the files involved prepubescent children, some appearing as young as five. During the arrest, Palmer reportedly told officers he was “sorry,” calling himself an addict and saying he knew he would be on the sex offender registry.
The investigation revealed Palmer also communicated online with someone he believed was the father of the child, describing his sexual attraction to minors and expressing that his “age of attraction” was “around 8 and up.” He claimed to have been sexually interested in children for 20 years and said he had shared such material with others online.
Palmer was charged with 14 felony counts, including solicitation of a child, distribution of sexual material, dissemination of pornographic work involving minors under 14 and multiple counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. Court documents show Palmer entered his plea under a negotiated agreement that includes concurrent prison sentences, the longest being 10 years. After his prison term, he will be subjected to a five-year conditional release term. Sentencing is scheduled for December.
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