Pacelli High School fires math teacher after sex arrest

By Shelby Capacio
Fox 9
October 8, 2014

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/26730316/pacelli-catholic-high-fires-math-teacher-after-sex-arrest

Mary Gilles

AUSTIN, Minn. (KMSP) - On Tuesday, Pacelli Catholic Schools announced the high school's math teacher has been terminated following her arrest in a criminal sexual conduct investigation involving a minor.

Administrators at Pacelli High School say they are cooperating with law enforcement in the case against 28-year-old Mary Gilles, and will continue to help if and when prosecution begins. Apparently, a Monday morning phone call reported suspicious activity that lead to her arrest. Leaders at the diocese say that arrest was made because Pacelli Catholic Schools adopted procedures and a protocol for identifying sexual abuse and immediately reporting suspicious activity to police.

"Our prayers go out to those who have suffered child sexual abuse and who have been harmed," a statement from the Diocese of Winona read in part. "We encourage anyone with information regarding child sexual abuse to immediately report that information to law enforcement and we remain committed to protect all God's children."

Gilles is charged with third-degree criminal sexual contact and was arrested Monday at her apartment, which is located half a mile from the Catholic high school. Officials with the Diocese of Winona confirmed that the victim is a male student at Pacelli High School, but no further information was released.

Fox 9's Iris Perez will report the latest details on this story tonight on Fox 9 News @ 9 and 10.

This week has been a difficult one for Catholic schools in Minnesota. On Monday, the tennis coach at the Visitation School, an all-girl Catholic school located in Mendota Heights, was charged with criminal sexual conduct after he admitted to a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student. Charging documents state that Dan Erik Hubbard-Wilson was 25 when the relationship began and sent a text message to her father that read, "I fell in love with her so tremendously and I never should have at this time. I made decisions I absolutely never should have at this time.”