Matthew McGinley, formerly a worship pastor at the Ascent Project in Fort Collins, Colorado, has been arrested and charged with felony sexual assault of a minor after confessing to a past sexual relationship with a student.

Court records indicate McGinley, now 30, was 24 at the time of the misconduct, which began while he was a part-time educator at a prominent Northern Colorado Christian school.

Investigators say private flirtatious communications escalated over time, eventually leading to sexual contact in 2020, after he had left the school.

He was arrested and charged with felony sexual assault of a minor.

In an email to the victim’s family, McGinley reportedly expressed remorse, apologizing and attributing his actions to a “quarter-life crisis.” He also wrote that he had repented.

McGinley was a part-time teacher during the 2018–2019 academic year, when his relationship reportedly began with the student, starting with flirtatious texts.

The relationship allegedly escalated to sexual contact at the beginning of 2020. The intimate encounters reportedly took place off campus, after McGinley was no longer employed at the school.

The minor reportedly stopped communicating with him later that same year, according to court filings.

According to court records cited by CBS News Colorado, the relationship remained undisclosed until 2025, when McGinley informed a church leader. He was immediately terminated from his position and escorted to the police station.

The Christian school where he previously taught emphasized that McGinley has been banned from any further involvement and noted that they had not been aware of his criminal behavior until recently.

In a statement to parents, the school confirmed that no current students had ever been taught by McGinley, and that he had not worked for the school in over five years.

McGinley is currently free on bond while awaiting criminal proceedings.