A longtime Cherry Creek Schools teacher at Grandview High School was arrested Monday and is now facing a stack of serious accusations: five felony counts of sexual assault on a child and three misdemeanor counts tied to abuse of public trust. The educator, 56-year-old Robert Combs, taught CTE engineering and technology at Grandview since 2002.
According to Denver7, the Cherry Creek School District said in a letter to families that it "was made aware on Oct. 23, 2025," of allegations that Combs had inappropriate sexual contact with a former student. The district wrote that it "immediately placed him on administrative leave" after learning of the report, then separated from him in November.
Court filings reviewed by the media list five counts of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust and three misdemeanor counts for abuse of public trust by an educator. The documents set Combs's bond at $50,000 and list the alleged offense date as Feb. 1, 2022, ahead of a court hearing scheduled for this week.
Charges and Legal Context
Colorado law treats sexual assaults involving children and crimes committed by trusted adults as high-level felonies, with the possibility of harsher penalties depending on a victim's age and other circumstances. As outlined by Justia, state statutes separately define sexual assault on a child and sexual assault by a person in a position of trust, with different classifications and sentencing ranges spelled out in law.
District History and Context
This latest arrest lands in a district that has already been under scrutiny for past misconduct cases involving staff. Colorado Community Media reported that Cherry Creek Schools agreed to pay $11.5 million to sex crime victims of a former teacher in a previous case. In a separate incident involving Grandview, a former security guard at the school pleaded guilty after being accused of a sexual relationship with a student, as covered by Sentinel Colorado.
District Response
In a letter obtained by Denver7, district officials told families that the school "is in full cooperation with law enforcement as this case remains open" and emphasized that "the safety and security of our students and staff is our highest priority." The district said that the message was shared with parents this week.
How to Report Information
Officials are urging anyone who may have information related to the case to contact law enforcement. Grandview's website also lists district support services and the Safe2Tell tip line as options for students and families who want to share concerns or seek help. More details and contact information are available on the Grandview High School site.
