FORT COLLINS (CO)
CBS News [Colorado]
November 11, 2025
By Dillon Thomas
Fort Collins police have arrested Matthew McGinley, 30, accusing the former worship pastor and teacher of sexual assault of a minor by a person in a position of trust. In police and court records obtained by CBS News Colorado, McGinley is accused of having a sexual relationship with a former student that continued for more than one year.
McGinley was a part-time educator at a prominent Northern Colorado Christian school for the 2018-2019 school year, according to the school.
According to police, that is when McGinley met the victim in one of the classes he helped teach. The student was younger than 18 when they met.
Police reported that McGinley, 24 at the time, and the student started off by sending flirtatious late-night texts before the relationship evolved to kissing. Police said the two started having sex at the beginning of 2020. It continued through part of 2020 until the victim cut off communication, according to police.
The intimate relationship had allegedly taken place off-campus after McGinley had stopped working at the school.
McGinley was, and still is, married.
McGinley went on to become the worship and marketing pastor for a Fort Collins church known as “Ascent Project.”
The relationship went largely unshared until 2025, when McGinley allegedly told a church leader about his affair with the minor. Church leaders reportedly gathered and decided to have a meeting with McGinley, one in which they told police he fully confessed his actions during. Fort Collins Police filed court documents saying McGinley was fired from his role at Ascent Project immediately by the church leaders and was then taken to the police department to turn himself in.
Police obtained an email McGinley allegedly sent the victim’s mother. In the email, McGinley wrote an apology for his actions and said they were part of a “quarter-life crisis” he was going through. The email in the court records goes on to suggest McGinley was remorseful for his actions and had repented to God.
McGinley was charged with felony sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust with a pattern of abuse. He was booked into the Larimer County Jail and has since posted bond as he awaits further steps in the criminal proceedings.
Fort Collins Police told CBS News Colorado they do not believe there are any other victims at this time.
The school in which the two met confirmed to CBS News Colorado that they were aware of McGinley’s case, but noted they were not aware of the alleged relationship and crimes until police visited their campus recently seeking employment records for McGinley.
The school issued a statement to the student body and parents to let them know of the ongoing investigation, noting that there are no current students who were ever taught by McGinley. Though he hasn’t worked at the school for more than five years now, the school still took action to ban him from any further involvement with the school or its afterschool programs.
McGinley did not return CBS News Colorado’s request for comment.
Ascent Project, which is pastored by McGinley’s brother, did not respond to CBS News Colorado’s request for interview or comment as of the publication of this article.