Former Colorado State trooper sentenced to four years of probation for child pornography

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- A former Colorado State Patrol (CSP) trooper has been sentenced after pleading guilty to child pornography.

Luke Zellman, 42, was charged with one count of child pornography, according to online court documents.

In April, Zellman entered a plea agreement with the court that dismissed the other twelve charges of child pornography and child sexual exploitation, according to online court documents. Zellman will serve no jail time and four years of probation as part of the Sex Offender Intensive Supervision Program.

Zellman was originally arrested after the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) Internet Crimes Against Children unit was notified about a tip from the Center for Missing and Endangered Children about a person "downloading child sexual abuse material via the internet," according to police.

CSPD says the investigation then pointed to a trooper from CSP. Zellman was arrested in September of 2025.

According to CSP, Zellman joined the patrol in 2014, where he worked in Steamboat Springs until he transferred to Colorado Springs in 2017.

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