A former school counselor in Northern Colorado has been arrested on multiple felony charges tied to the alleged sexual assault of a student.
Fort Collins police confirmed Tuesday that 40-year-old Cassadra Poncelow was taken into custody following a month-long investigation sparked by a tip that she had carried on an inappropriate relationship with a student while employed by the Poudre School District.
According to police records, Poncelow first met the alleged victim while she was navigating high school. What began as interactions in the counseling office allegedly progressed to meetings off campus, where investigators say Poncelow kissed and touched the girl multiple times over the course of several years. Eventually, the student accused Poncelow of sexually assaulting her at a second off-campus location.
The victim told police she thought she was going to die after the assault. She also recounted how Poncelow pressured her into silence, allegedly saying, “if you tell anyone, I’ll kill myself.” Investigators state that at some point during the abuse Poncelow acknowledged that what she was doing was wrong. She admitted, “our physical and sexual relationship was not okay. Lack of boundary, not okay. The power difference, not okay. It was wrong.”
Poncelow now faces a slate of serious charges, including sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust with a pattern of abuse, aggravated sexual assault on a client by a psychotherapist, and attempted sexual exploitation of a child. She is being held in the Larimer County Jail on a $500,000 cash-only bond.
Poncelow has been a mainstay at the Poudre School District for nearly two decades, working both as a counselor at Poudre High School before transitioning into the role of health pathway lead. In 2023, she was awarded a summer fellowship from the National Institute for the Humanities. Until recently, she was working as a ninth-grade success coach at the Center for High School Success, which has since placed her on leave.
The district, in a statement, called the allegations “deeply troubling.” Austin Fleskes, its spokesperson, stressed that the safety of students “remains our highest priority” and that the district is fully cooperating with law enforcement. Fort Collins Police echoed that message, urging anyone with information or who may have been affected to come forward.
Poncelow has not yet retained an attorney, and so far there’s no court date. At the moment the Fort Collins community is stuck dealing with one of the most vile things that can happen to their children while they wait to see what happens to an educator they once trusted implicitly.
