Former youth pastor arrested for sexual assault
A former youth pastor has been arrested for sexually assaulting multiple children over the course of three decades.
In early 2023, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a sexual assault involving Hipolito Gomez-Perdomo (DOB 01/31/59) of Fort Collins. The teenage victim identified the suspect and disclosed an assault that happened in the early 2000s when she was a young child. She did not initially report it due to fear of repercussions but came forward after learning that other teenagers had experienced similar abuse by the suspect.
LCSO investigators began gathering information and found a 2019 report of sexual assault involving Gomez-Perdomo and a different victim, but the District Attorney’s Office declined to file charges at the time. LCSO investigators reopened the previous case in conjunction with the newer allegations.
During these investigations, an additional victim came forward. She described a similar pattern of abuse that occurred in the late 1990s when she was a young child. She shared that Gomez-Perdomo met her family through church and, after becoming a trusted family friend, sexually assaulted her.
Following a lengthy criminal investigation, Gomez-Perdomo was arrested in March 2024 on the following charges:
- Sexual Assault on a Child - Position of Trust (F3) - 5 counts
- Sexual Assault on a Child (F3)
He was booked into the Larimer County Jail and issued a $200,000 cash/surety bond by the Larimer County Court. A booking photo is attached. Additional charges are pending.
Gomez-Perdomo was involved with the Vida Abundante church in North Fort Collins and served as a youth pastor. After the 2019 allegations were reported, he left the congregation. Prior to living in Fort Collins, he lived in Fort Morgan, Colorado and Houston, Texas.
Investigators are concerned that there may be other victims. Anyone with information about incidents involving this suspect should contact Investigator Travis Fischer at 970-498-5585. People who want to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at 970-221-6868 or www.stopcriminals.org.
“Sexual assault inflicts serious physical and mental harm on victims. It can be difficult to come forward, especially if the perpetrator is in a position of trust,” said Sheriff John Feyen. “I’m grateful for the courageous young women who spoke up in this case. Their voices matter. At LCSO, we believe survivors deserve to be heard and supported.”
The charges are merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Facts about Sexual Abuse
- Child predators often use psychological manipulation known as “grooming” behaviors to isolate and build trust with victims, including giving gifts and attention, providing financial or emotional support, arranging special activities, and sharing secrets. This may be followed by engaging in seemingly harmless touching (hugging, wrestling, tickling) and escalate to sexual contact (RAINN).
- 93% of child sexual assault victims know their abuser (RAINN).
- Sexual assault is a crime that often goes unreported. Research indicated that in 2021, only 22% of sexual assaults were reported to law enforcement (Bureau of Justice Statistics).
- It can take years after abuse has ended for victims to feel safe coming forward, especially in cases where the perpetrator was a person in a position of trust. Social attitudes, gender stereotypes, and culture may further impact a person’s decision to report (RAINN).
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, support resources are available in our community:
SAVA Center
https://savacenter.org/
Fort Collins: (970) 472-4204
Loveland: (970) 775-2962
The Sexual Assault Victim Advocate (SAVA) Center provides crisis intervention, advocacy, and counseling for all those affected by sexual violence in Northern Colorado while also providing prevention programs through community outreach and education.
ChildSafe
https://www.childsafecolorado.org/
970-472-4133
ChildSafe supports child and adult victims of childhood abuse, particularly child sexual abuse, and their non-offending family members.
Crawford Child Advocacy Center
https://crawfordcac.org/
(970) 407-9739
The CCAC works to prevent child maltreatment (primarily physical and sexual abuse), and they provide services to help caseworkers and investigators stop perpetrators, protect victims, and support survivors and families.
Estes Valley Crisis Advocates
https://www.crisisadvocates.org/
Call: (970) 577-9781
Text: (513) 970-3822
Estes Valley Crisis Advocates provides an array of free and confidential services to survivors of crime and trauma.
SummitStone Health Partners
https://www.summitstonehealth.org/
(970) 494-4200
SummitStone provides counseling for psychological, emotional, and behavioral problems, domestic violence and sexual assault victims, and drug and alcohol problems. Individual, family and group therapy are available.
