Former Eagle Grove Police Officer Jailed for Sending Obscene Images to Minor

A former police officer from Eagle Grove has been sentenced to jail and probation following a criminal case involving the use of Snapchat to send obscene materials to a minor.

Colt Richardson, 28, utilized the mobile messaging platform to repeatedly send inappropriate messages and an obscene image to a teenage girl. Court documents reveal that Richardson sent at least one of these digital communications while he was on duty as a law enforcement officer.

Criminal Charges and Legal Proceedings

The legal proceedings against Richardson concluded with a sentencing order filed on April 3, 2026. Richardson had previously pleaded guilty in January 2026 to three specific charges: two counts of disseminating obscene materials to a minor and one count of first-degree harassment.

The court imposed a sentence consisting of 30 days in jail for one of the charges. For the remaining two charges, Richardson was sentenced to up to two years in prison, though this prison term was suspended in favor of one year of probation.

The Court believes that a combination of real jail time, potential prison time, and probation best achieves the Court’s dual goals of promoting the Defendant’s rehabilitation and protecting the community from further acts of the Defendant

Judge Joseph Tofilon

In addition to the jail time and probation, the court mandated that Richardson register as a sex offender. He is further prohibited from contacting the victim for a period of five years.

Misuse of Authority and Digital Platforms

The case highlights a severe breach of professional conduct, specifically regarding the use of communication technology by an officer assigned to a school environment. Judge Joseph Tofilon noted the disparity between Richardson’s professional responsibilities and his actions.

He was a police officer in a school. He was there to protect the students. Instead, he turned one of them into his victim.

Judge Joseph Tofilon

Richardson was terminated from the Eagle Grove Police Department in December 2024 following the accusations of using Snapchat to target the minor.

Defense Arguments

During the proceedings, defense attorney Grant Gangestad requested that the court impose a deferred judgment. The defense argued that Richardson had already suffered significant personal and professional losses as a result of his arrest, including the end of his marriage, the loss of his career in law enforcement, and the loss of his role within his church.

Gangestad also noted that Richardson had already enrolled in sex offender treatment prior to the sentencing.

Despite these arguments, prosecutors sought more stringent penalties, asking the court to impose consecutive 30-day jail terms for each of the charges Richardson faced.