The Brief
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Michael B. Gillis, 34, has been arrested twice in the last seven months by police in Minnesota and Florida, records show.
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Gillis allegedly sexually assaulted a 15-year-old boy at his home in Eden Prairie on March 2, according to court documents.
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Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges warned the public about Gillis in October 2024.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (FOX 9) – An Eden Prairie man arrested in two undercover child sex stings in two states now faces a child rape charge after authorities said he arranged to have an Uber driver drop off a 15-year-old boy at his house.
“Really creepy” suspect sexually assaulted boy in Eden Prairie, court documents say
The allegations
An Eden Prairie man arrested in two undercover child sex stings in multiple states now faces a child rape charge after authorities said he arranged to have an Uber driver drop off a 15-year-old boy at his house. The incident happened on March 2 after Michael B. Gillis exchanged messages with the child online, documents said.
What the victim said
The victim told police that Gillis was “being really creepy” when he arrived at his house, according to court filings. The victim said Gillis sexually assaulted him and asked him to help cover up another sexual assault, documents said. The victim said he escaped from the house after Gillis fell asleep, according to court filings.
Prosecutors in Minnesota, Florida charged Gillis after undercover sex stings
What happened
Bloomington police arrested Gillis in an undercover child sex sting on Aug. 7 after they said he traveled to meet who he thought was a 15-year-old boy. Less than two months later, on Oct. 5, Gillis surfaced in Polk County, Florida, where deputies arrested him after a similar undercover sex sting. In that case, he arranged to meet with who he thought was a 14-year-old boy, deputies said.
What police said
In October, shortly after his second arrest in an undercover sting, Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges warned the public about Gillis.
“This guy is a predator, and what he did when he went to Florida – he learned from his Minnesota experience and tried to take those tactics to Florida, and tried to change it up a little bit, but, nonetheless, he was arrested,” he said in a video posted on YouTube.
What’s next
Gillis’ trial on charges stemming from his August arrest in Bloomington is scheduled for April 7. His case in Florida is still pending. He has a court date there scheduled for March 25.