Former Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School employee pleads guilty to sex abuse

A Cary man and former Catholic school maintenance worker must register as a sex offender after pleading guilty to a felony sex abuse charge.

Former Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School maintenance worker Gerardo Gallaga pleaded guilty Tuesday in McHenry County court to criminal sexual abuse. The charges stemmed from allegations that Gallaga had inappropriate contact with a child in 2014, when he was 59 and the victim was 1 year old, according to the Illinois Sex Offender Registry.

Gallaga’s attorney, Steven McArdle, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Officers arrested Gallaga, 64, of the 400 block of West James Way, in December 2017 after a Woodstock Police Department investigation.

McHenry County prosecutors initially charged Gallaga with aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child younger than 13 years old and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

The most serious charge, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, was dismissed Tuesday, however, when Gallaga accepted an offer from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office. In exchange for his guilty plea, Gallaga must serve two years of probation and register as a sex offender in addition to seeking sex offender treatment, Judge Robert Wilbrandt ordered.

After Gallaga’s arrest, the church’s pastor sent a letter to parents confirming the maintenance employee was placed on immediate, unpaid leave.