Gail Gagne Sentenced for Sex With Cretin Derham Hall Student
STAR TRIBUNE (Mpls.-St. Paul) Newspaper of the Twin Cities
Date: 3/28/11
MINNEAPOLIS - Gail Gagne received a one-year, stayed sentence and two years probation on Monday for having sex with a former Cretin Derham Hall student under her supervision.
Nearly 2 years after the allegations surfaced, Gagne didn’t have much to say as she walked out of the Hennepin County courthouse with her famous father by her side.
After her sentencing, the former coach and teacher won’t be stepping into a classroom any time soon.
"I think we had an appropriate solution to a very unhappy situation," said attorney Mike Freeman.
As part of a deal with prosecutors, Gagne waived her right to a jury trial last month, letting a judge determine her fate, and admitted she had sex with a student who was 16 at the time while she was working as a weight room supervisor at Cretin Durham Hall in 2008.
In exchange, the judge found her guilty of a reduced charge of fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct -- a gross misdemeanor -- and dropped a felony charge of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Gagne has credit for one day served, paid a $300 fine, and will be on probation for two years. She also has to submit a DNA sample and register as a sex offender in both Minnesota and California, where she now lives. She's not allowed to work with minors or have contact with the victim, who is now in college.
Before sentencing, the victim’s mother said her son and his brother -- who also went to Cretin -- missed out on leadership posts in their class because of gossip surrounding the case. She also said that her family was embarrassed and disappointed by what happened -- a sentiment shared by Freeman.
"A parent who sends their child to be taught and participate in activities to be coached ought not be worried about whether the coach is going to have sexual relations with that child. Period. End of story," he said.
The charges alleged Gagne had sex on several occasions with a then-16-year-old student in the summer of 2008. She was 25 at the time.
She was hired at Cretin Derham Hall in November 2007 as an assistant basketball coach and was a substitute teacher from January 2008 through September 2008 before taking a full-time teaching position at the school. When the allegations surfaced, school administrators at Cretin Derham Hall put Gagne on leave and sent a letter to parents explaining only that a female employee was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student.
Gagne is the granddaughter of wrestling legend Verne Gagne, who was involved in the death of a fellow resident at the Friendship Village Nursing Home in Bloomington back in January. Her father, Greg Gagne, was also a professional wrestler.