Former Sports Official Accused in Rape of Student

TYLER — A former high school sports official is accused of drugging and raping a John Tyler student. Robert Robinson, 63, was arrested last week on charges of child sexual assault by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and is in jail on a $500,000 bond. According to an arrest warrant obtained by our news partner KETK, the warrant states the attack took place at his home in 2009 and that the victim became pregnant from the rape and she gave birth to a daughter. The woman is now 26. Robinson is currently trying to gain custody of the child.

Sources say Robinson worked for several years as an umpire and referee for East Texas high school sports, including softball. An investigation began back in late June 2019 after Child Protective Services received a tip about her and her daughter. The tip was given to the Tyler Police Department, who forwarded the case to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office when it was discovered the assault happened outside the city limits. She was interviewed by investigators in July and said the assault was the first time she met Robinson. She was positive the incident occurred on March 29, 2009, when she was 15 years old.

According to arrest warrant the girl was walking in her Tyler neighborhood when Robingson pulled up in a tan Corvette and asked her if she wanted to “hang out with him”. Robinson was 52 years old at the time. The warrant says she agreed and he drove her to his house just north of the city limits where he gave her a beer. She told a Sheriff’s detective she passed out after drinking it and believed she had been drugged. When she woke up, Robinson was on top of her. The daughter was born in December 2009. She did not tell anyone about the child because she did not want to get Robert in trouble, according to the warrant. The warrant also states that Robinson had recently agreed to take a DNA test and it proved he was the father. The probability came back with a 99.99 percent match.

Robinson remains in the Smith County Jail with bond set at $500,000.