Brian Wrhel, a 55-year-old basketball coach and former fifth-grade teacher at Meadowlark Elementary School, has been arrested on nine counts of possessing child pornography.
This isn’t Brian Wrhel’s first involvement with the law, but he has been arrested previously as well.
Reportedly, the new charges came after police found troubling images on his cellphone during an investigation into earlier claims of sexual abuse.
Brian Wrhel first came under investigation in May 2025 when the Cheyenne Police Department became aware of allegations.
It was school staff at Meadowlark Elementary who reported concerns about his behavior with female students.
A special-needs aide in his classroom noticed he touched girls more than boys. She noticed him give extra attention to thinner girls.
She shared her concerns with the school principal, leading to Wrhel’s placement on leave on May 16.
Later, they identified six girls, aged 10 or 11, as possible victims. The girls described unwanted touching that started in August 2024 and lasted until May 2025.
The acts included rubbing their thighs, buttocks, backs, stomachs, breasts, and private areas both over and under their clothing.
Above all, this disturbing act happened during class, in front of other students.
One girl said Wrhel told her to speak up if she felt uncomfortable. However, she was scared he would get angry or stop liking her.
Likewise, another girl didn’t tell her mother because she feared Wrhel would go to jail for life if the news spread.
Based on these reports, Wrhel was eventually arrested on July 28, 2025. He faced nine counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor and seven counts of third-degree sexual abuse of a minor.
He faced serious felonies: Second-degree charges can lead to up to 20 years in prison each, while third-degree charges carry up to 15 years.
Despite this, Wrhel entered a not guilty plea in Laramie County District Court on August 8.
He posted a $50,000 surety bond and was released on August 8, 2025. The court orders barred him from contacting the school district or any minors.
The case did not end there. When police seized Wrhel’s cellphone during his July arrest, they waited for a search warrant to examine it.
On September 4, 2025, a detective obtained the warrant and conducted a digital forensic review.
The search uncovered child sexual abuse material, known as CSAM. Officials believe the images came from outside the United States.
On September 16, Wrhel was arrested once more and booked into Laramie County Jail. He now faces nine additional counts of possession of child pornography.
The Cheyenne Police Detective Bureau continues its investigation into this case, while Wrehl remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
