An Eden Prairie man awaiting trial on child solicitation charges in Minnesota and Florida has been accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy, according to a criminal complaint filed Thursday, March 13, in Hennepin County District Court.
Michael Bruce Gillis, 34, was arrested Saturday and released early the next morning after posting $250,000 bond, according to court and jail records. He was originally scheduled to appear in court Monday at the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility in Minneapolis, but the hearing was rescheduled for Tuesday, March 18, due to a scheduling conflict for his attorney.
Gillis is charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine ranging from $10,000 to $30,000.
The charge follows a March 2 report by a Mounds View woman who told police her teenage nephew was missing after leaving home and not returning. She later found sexually explicit messages on his iPad from a user named “Nick Miller,” whom investigators identified as Gillis. According to the criminal complaint, the messages were sent through a social media app and an online networking site that allows anonymous connections.
Gillis offered to pay for a ride-hailing service to bring the teenager to his Eden Prairie home, the complaint states. Later that day, Eden Prairie police found the boy near Gillis’ residence.
In a forensic interview, the teenager told investigators that he had been inside Gillis’ home, describing it in detail, which police later confirmed. He alleged that Gillis engaged in sexual conduct with him before he was able to leave when Gillis fell asleep, according to the complaint.
At the time of the alleged assault, Gillis was already facing child solicitation charges in Minnesota and Florida.
In August 2024, he was charged in Bloomington with soliciting a minor online. In November, the case was amended to add additional solicitation counts, while another charge was dismissed.
While out on $75,000 bond in the Bloomington case, Gillis was arrested again in October 2024 as part of an undercover operation in Florida targeting online child exploitation.
Authorities in Polk County, Florida, charged Gillis with traveling to meet a minor after using a computer to lure a child, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, and lewd and lascivious conduct involving a child. He was released on $72,000 bond and placed under GPS monitoring while awaiting trial.
Court records show he has a pre-trial conference scheduled for March 25 in Polk County. In addition, an affidavit filed on March 4 alleges he violated the conditions of his electronic monitoring.
Gillis’ Minnesota trial on the Bloomington charges is scheduled for April 7 in Hennepin County District Court. As part of his pretrial release, he was allowed to live in Florida under conditions that barred him from contact with minors and required court approval for any travel.
Hilary Parsons, the attorney representing Gillis in the new Minnesota case, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
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