Nebraska Teacher Arrested for Relationship with Former Student

Arrest of Cody Pester

• 🎯 Cody Pester, a 26-year-old sixth-grade teacher and wrestling coach from Lincoln, Nebraska, was arrested by the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office.
• 📅 The investigation began in December after an intake from DHS was received by Odo County.
• ⏳ The sheriff's office has been actively working on the case for approximately one month.

Details of the Relationship

• 🎓 The victim is 18 years old and a graduate of Palmyra.
• 📱 Pester and the victim had over 13,000 contacts via phone between May 2025 and the time of the arrest.
• ⚖️ The relationship, which began in May 2025, turned sexual in July, violating Nebraska statute 28-316.01, which prohibits sexual activity between school employees and students enrolled within the last 90 days.

Investigation and Cooperation

• 🤝 The Palmyra Superintendent, Michael Hart, and his staff were commended for their cooperation during this difficult time.
• 📞 Authorities are urging anyone with information or potential additional victims to contact the sheriff's office at 402-441-6500.
• 🔍 The investigation is ongoing, and while enough evidence was gathered for the arrest, further information is being processed.

Legal and Professional Responsibility

• ⚠️ The arrest highlights a violation of the special responsibility teachers have towards their students.
• 🚫 There have been no findings of contraband, drugs, or alcohol involved in the inappropriate contact so far.
• 🏫 The investigation is also looking into whether any inappropriate contact occurred on school property.