CLEAR LAKE — Nearly nine months after a Clear Lake couple was hauled to jail on felony accusations involving sexually explicit images of children, neither suspect has gone to trial—and their cases have now been postponed yet again.
Vicki Sue Colombo, then 65, and John Joseph Colombo, then 68, were arrested by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office on October 23, 2025, after Clear Lake police investigated alleged offenses dating to November 2024.
NIT first reported the couple’s arrests and disturbing allegations here.
Each defendant is charged with one count of purchasing or possessing a depiction of a minor engaged in a sex act, first offense—a class D felony under Iowa law.
Both Colombos pleaded not guilty and waived their rights to a speedy trial. Since then, their cases have crawled through a long succession of continuances that repeatedly pushed their scheduled trials farther down the calendar.
The latest postponements were granted after defense attorneys filed new motions for continuance.
Vicki Colombo’s pretrial conference is now scheduled for August 17, 2026, with a jury trial set for September 1. Court records show her trial has been rescheduled numerous times since it was originally placed on the January 20 calendar.
She was released from custody under pretrial supervision on November 3, 2025. A no-contact order remains part of the case.
John Colombo’s jury trial was most recently scheduled for August 11, but another defense request resulted in that date being scrapped. His pretrial conference is now scheduled for August 10, followed by a jury trial on August 25. He remains held in the Cerro Gordo county jail on $5,000 cash-only bond.
His case has likewise endured repeated delays since his original February trial date. A no-contact order was also entered against him following his arrest.
Under Iowa Code section 728.12, knowingly purchasing or possessing a visual depiction of a minor engaged in a prohibited sexual act is a class D felony for a first offense. A conviction can carry up to five years in prison and substantial fines.
Court records show no disposition in either case, meaning both prosecutions remain pending.
The Colombos are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.