Minneapolis substitute teacher arrested in child predator sting
The Minneapolis police logo on a squad vehicle. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A man who worked as a substitute teacher is charged with several counts of disseminating child pornography and soliciting a child for sex after an online child predator sting group set up a meeting at a Minneapolis park.
Preston Casey Palmer, 34, of Minneapolis, is facing 14 criminal counts related to possession of child porn and attempting to solicit a minor for sex.
Minneapolis substitute teacher arrested for child porn, solicitation
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Minneapolis Park Police responded to Brackett Park on Wednesday for a report of a man who was at the park to disseminate child sex abuse material, according to a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County Court. The complaint notes that Palmer is a teacher at a nearby elementary school.
Arriving officers said they spoke with several people who were part of "an online group aimed at uncovering online activity involving solicitation of minor for sexual acts and dissemination of child sexual material," according to the complaint.
Those people reportedly told officers that Palmer was speaking to someone he thought was a 13-year-old boy since March 2025. Those conversations were sexually charged and made several references to child pornography.
The online sting group also led Palmer to believe the 13-year-old boy's father was engaging in similar acts and got him to admit that his "age of attraction is around 8 and up," according to messages cited in the criminal complaint.
Palmer reportedly thought he was going to meet the father and the 13-year-old boy when he arrived at the park in order to share the child abuse content. The online group then called police when they saw Palmer at the park.
The complaint states that during the arrest, Palmer made "spontaneous statements" that he was sorry, he was an addict and he will have a felony and be on the registry.
Authorities are still reviewing the contents of the flash drive and the cell phone that was on Palmer at the time of the arrest. The complaint states a preliminary review of the content showed images of juveniles, some believed to be as young as five years old, performing sexual acts.
Palmer's first court appearance is set for the afternoon of May 19.
What they're saying:
The complaint states that during the arrest, a child at the park said "That's my teacher" when Palmer was taken into custody.
Minneapolis Public Schools shared the following statement on the arrest:
"The safety of our students is our top priority. Due to data privacy laws, MPS is unable to share any information at this time. We want to remind our students and community if they see or experience anything concerning to report it to a trusted adult or through our HelpMe App or website."
Footage from the group that set up the sting can be viewed below:
The Source: This story used information from a criminal complaint filed in Henepin County and social media posts from a self-proclaimed child predator hunter group.