Cassadra Poncelow, Fort Collins, Colorado woman and former high school counselor with the Poudre School District arrested for having years long sex relationship with then female juvenile student, ‘who she fell in love with.’
A former high school counselor in Northern Colorado is accused of sexually assaulting a student over the course of many years, with the suspect allegedly admitting having ‘fallen in love’ with her alleged ‘female’ victim.
Cassadra Poncelow, 40, of Larimer County was arrested on Tuesday, according to Fort Collins police where she now faces multiple felony charges in relation to the alleged sex crimes.
Investigators received a tip last month that she had an inappropriate relationship with a student while she was employed by the Poudre School District.
Poudre School District counselor went on to have years long sexual relationship with victim
Poncelow first met the alleged victim while she was navigating high school. The two allegedly formed a relationship that started in the school counseling office, later progressing to an off-campus location, CBS News reported.
Police say it was there that she then allegedly kissed and touched the girl in a sexual manner multiple times in the following years. The victim was a juvenile at the time of the crimes but is now an adult, according to Fort Collins Police.
The alleged victim told police she was later invited to a second off-campus location with Poncelow, and there, she accused Poncelow of sexually assaulting her.
She told police she thought she was going to die following the alleged sexual assault.
When asked if she was encouraged to hide the alleged abuse, the victim told police she had discussed that with Poncelow. She recalled Poncelow saying, ‘if you tell anyone, I’ll kill myself,’ the arrest report said.
Abuse of trust, authority and power
Police said they learned through the course of the investigation that Poncelow expressed regret for her actions, allegedly telling the victim she was ashamed for ‘falling in love’ with the girl.
Police claim Poncelow said to the victim, in part, ‘our physical and sexual relationship was not okay. Lack of boundary, not okay. The power difference, not okay. It was wrong.’
Police said Poncelow now recognized the issues of her alleged actions, courtesy of her recent sobriety.
‘Poncelow had an inappropriate relationship with a student for several years and sexually assaulted the student on multiple occasions off campus,’ Fort Collins police said in a statement.
Poncelow was booked into the Larimer County Jail on the following charges:
- Sexual Assault on a Child by One in a Position of Trust – pattern of abuse with an enhancer of Crime of Violence
- Criminal Attempt to Commit Sexual Exploitation of Children
- Aggravated Sexual Assault on a Client by a Psychotherapist
- Sexual Assault
Lauded counselor with the Poudre School District
Following her arrest, Fort Collins police were now searching for more possible victims, FOX31 reported.
Poncelow worked for the Poudre School District from 2007 through 2024, according to police. She worked at Poudre High School for at least a portion of that time, as a 2023 announcement from the school district identified her as a counselor at the high school and said she received a summer fellowship from the National Institute for the Humanities.
According to Poncelow’s LinkedIn profile, she was a part-time school counselor and engagement specialist at Poudre High School from August 2011 through September 2024, a part-time behavioral health pathway lead for the school district from August 2023 through September 2024, and now works as a full-time ninth-grade success coach at the Center for High School Success, which listed her on its website as having the same title. That webpage has since been removed.
A spokesman for Poudre School District said the allegations against Poncelow are ‘deeply troubling’. The district has fully cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation.”
‘The safety and well-being of our students are our highest priority. We are committed to maintaining a safe, supportive learning environment and to responding with transparency and care,’ Austin Fleskes, public relations and media coordinator for the school district, told CBS Colorado. ‘Because this is an active investigation, and to protect the privacy of those involved, we are unable to share additional details. Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact Fort Collins Police Services.’
Poncelow is being held in the Larimer County Jail on a $500,000 cash-only bond. Court records show that she has not yet retained an attorney, but don’t show when she’s due in court.
