Crime & Safety

Feds Charge IL State Trooper With Child Porn Distribution: Report

The 38-year-old Deerfield resident was also a youth hockey referee, according to court documents.

Court documents state Colin Gruenke allegedly used a VPN to conceal the online locations of where he uploaded the child sex abuse material.
Court documents state Colin Gruenke allegedly used a VPN to conceal the online locations of where he uploaded the child sex abuse material. (Illinois State Police )

DEERFIELD, IL — An Illinois State trooper has been charged with federal counts of distributing and possessing child pornography. Colin Gruenke, 38, of Deerfield was arrested Wednesday at his home following a months-long investigation.

WGN-9 is reporting federal authorities searched Gruenke's home on a warrant after being tipped off in September by the messaging app Kik. Court documents state he allegedly used a VPN to conceal the online locations of where he uploaded the child sex abuse material, which includes at least 14 files.

In addition, around 200 videos of child sex abuse material were recovered on a flash drive found during the search of Gruenke's home.

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The court documents also revealed Gruenke had served as a youth ice hockey referee in the area, reports WGN-9.

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