Former Palestine educator accused of meeting suspect at home to watch child porn, engage in sexual activity

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – A former Abilene and Palestine educator is accused of meeting a suspect at his home to watch child pornography.

Robert Custer made an appearance in Federal court Thursday on an Accessing Child Pornography Charge in connection to the allegations.

Court documents state Custer was contacted as part of an investigation that began in February 2025 after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children flagged a video depicting child pornography uploaded to the internet that was connected to an address in Abilene.

This video showed two adult men engaged in sexual activity while child pornography was playing the background.

The documents state that when officers went to execute a search warrant at the home connected to the video, suspect Miguel Estrada was contacted and allegedly confessed to watching the video at his home while engaged in sexual activity with another suspect in November 2024.

Estrada was unable to identify the suspect but did say that he “did talk about molesting his [child family member]” and also stated he was an educator at an undisclosed school.

Investigators were initially able to identify this second suspect as Custer through his social media activity with Estrada, and they got further verification from his driver license photograph, which matched the suspect shown in the video, and his vehicle, which matched the description given by Estrada.

Both Miguel Estrada and a third suspect, Joshua Melton, are facing three charges of Conspiracy to Access with Intent to View Prepubescent Child Pornography, and Estrada is also charged with Possession of Child Pornography Involving a Prepubescent Minor.

The documents do not detail the allegations against Melton but he was named as a co-defendant with Estrada for the same crimes committed in November 2024.

Earlier this week, the Texas Department of Public Safety put out an advisory on Custer’s arrest, stating they are currently seeking potential victims of his from his time as a teacher and camp counselor in the Abilene area, as well as other towns in Texas, including Palestine, Barksdale and Kingsville.

Anyone with information is asked to contact DPS Abilene’s Criminal Investigation Division Office at (325)795-4070.

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