Suspect in KC area sex offender sting allegedly hit cop with car, led high-speed chase
A 32-year-old man was indicted Wednesday on five felony charges alleging he struck a Clay County deputy with his car before taking police on a high-speed pursuit to avoid arrest in a large sting operation targeting sexual predators.
Robert B. Koester, of Springfield, was charged by indictment in Clay County Circuit Court with first-degree assault, armed criminal action, enticement of a child, drug possession and resisting arrest. Authorities allege he traveled to Kansas City earlier this month to sexually assault a 14-year-old girl, who was actually an undercover cop with a fake social media profile.
According to court records, Koester allegedly began sending messages to the fake profile — including ones of a sexually explicit nature — in late May. He arranged to meet up with who he thought was a 14-year-old girl on the night of June 2, authorities allege.
When Koester pulled into the driveway of a home in a sparsely populated part of Clay County, a sheriff’s deputy was standing outside the front door and waved for him to come forward, according to court papers. Other deputies approached his car after he refused to get out, court papers say, and he allegedly threw the car in reverse in an attempt to escape.
As Koester was backing out of the driveway, a Clay County deputy’s leg was hit and pinned against a patrol vehicle, charging documents say. The deputy was taken to a hospital with minor injuries and released.
Police chased Koester on Missouri 210 Highway at speeds exceeding 130 mph as he drove on the shoulder with the headlights off, authorities say. He crashed near the highway interchange with Interstate 435, and was arrested following a brief foot chase that ended when police used a Taser on him.
During a police interview, Koester allegedly said he had struggled with drug addiction and denied that he planned to have sex with a 14-year-old. He told investigators his “fight or flight” instinct kicked in after he saw police lights, according to court papers.
“I wasn’t trying to hurt nobody. I just panicked,” Koester allegedly said during the interview.
Greg Watt, a Kansas City defense attorney, said Koester comes from a good family and has a great job waiting for him when he gets out of jail.
“These are serious allegations and we do understand the gravity of them. However, he is presumed innocent and we look forward to proving his innocence in a court of law,” Watt said.
Koester was arrested as part of a coordinated law enforcement effort by local and federal authorities dubbed Operation Blue Ghost. Thirty-two people were arrested across Kansas and Missouri in connection with the operation, including several from the Kansas City area.
If convicted of first-degree assault, Koester could face up to 30 years in prison on that charge alone. It carries an enhanced penalty as police officers are considered special victims under Missouri law. He also faces up to life on the enticement charge; 15 years for armed criminal action; seven years for drug possession; and four years for fleeing arrest.
Koester was being held in the Clay County jail on a $500,000 bond Wednesday night. A bond hearing in the case was scheduled to take place Thursday afternoon.
