A Colorado counselor, who was once celebrated as Counselor of the Year, is now facing serious allegations of sexually assaulting female students for several years, reportedly threatening to kill one of them if she spoke out.
Cassandra Poncelow, 40, initially connected with the victim while working in the counseling office at a high school in the Poudre School District in Fort Collins. Eventually, she would take the student to her home under the guise of “sleeping out.”
The now-adult victim reported to authorities in July that she had been assaulted over 100 times at Poncelow’s residence.
While specific dates for the alleged incidents weren’t provided, Poncelow was employed by the district from 2007 until 2024.
The victim described feelings of severe despair after the assaults, alleging that Poncelow threatened her by saying, “If you tell anyone, I will commit suicide,” as noted in police documents.
Investigations revealed that Poncelow later experienced feelings of shame, claiming she had developed feelings for the student, recognizing the inappropriate nature of their relationship. “The lack of boundaries, it’s not okay. The difference in power, it’s not okay. That was wrong,” she reportedly admitted.
Poncelow was awarded Colorado’s Counselor of the Year in 2016 and even became a finalist for the national title in 2018.
She was arrested Tuesday and now faces multiple charges, including sexual assault, sexual assault on a child, attempts to exploit a child, and sexual assault by a psychotherapist. Currently, she is being held at the Larimar County Jail on a $500,000 cash-only bond.
A spokesperson from Poudre School District expressed concern regarding the allegations, calling them “deeply troubling” and noted their collaboration with law enforcement as the investigation continues.
In 2023, the Colorado Department of Human Services received reports about Poncelow, but she denied any sexual element to her interactions with the student at that time. The case remained inactive until the victim decided to pursue it last month.
Poncelow’s LinkedIn profile indicated her position as a part-time counselor and engagement specialist from 2011 to 2024, with her last role being a full-time freshman counselor at a success center.
After her arrest, the school stated that she “took a quick break.”
