
A Fort Collins high school teacher has been taken into custody on grounds of sexual assault on a child, and local police are now reaching out to the public for further information. Brendan Gallagher, a teacher at Fossil Ridge High School, was arrested on January 16, 2025, after an investigation was launched by the Fort Collins Police Services (FCPS) Crimes Against Persons Unit (CAPU) following a May 2024 report from the Poudre School District (PSD) staff.
Initially, the PSD personnel reported to the Department of Human Services that Gallagher had disclosed an inappropriate relationship with a former student. The police were able to identify a female victim who was a student in Gallagher's class back in 2015. Post the revelation of these details, Gallagher was charged with a Class 4 Felony for Sexual Assault on a Child in a Position of Trust position, as stated by the FCPS. He has since posted a $200,000 cash or surety bond which was released on January 17, 2025, as detailed by the City of Fort Collins.
Gallagher was placed on administrative leave by the PSD as soon as they were made aware of the initial allegations. Since then, the school district has been cooperative with the investigation process. Given Gallagher's teaching history, which also includes a stint in Berthoud, FCPS detectives have expressed concerns over the possibility of other victims being present and are calling on them or any witnesses to come forward with information. Detective Brandon Wootan can be contacted via email at [email protected] for any such leads.