Weeks after RCMP laid several sexual assault-related charges against a Stony Plain teacher and hockey coach, the accused entered a guilty plea in court.
RCMP arrested and charged 42-year-old Robert Paolinelli back in October.
Paolinelli was charged with sexual assault, sexual exploitation and forcible confinement.
He pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation charge, but reserved a plea on the other two charges.
The Crown Prosecutor told CTV News the Crown has planned on dropping the remaining two charges when Paolinelli is sentenced for sexual exploitation.
Investigators have not released many details of the incident the charges came from, only that he was charged after an incident with a boy that occurred on October 4.
The guilty plea shocked many of Paolinelli's former students – he had taught food studies at St. Thomas Aquinas School in Spruce Grove for five years.
Now, his former students are questioning their judgment.
"Didn't think he'd be the kind of person [to do that]," Grade 12 student Alex Colins said. "It makes me think who else would be?"
After Paolinelli was charged, he was removed from the classroom, but the Evergreen Catholic School Division said he would continue to be employed.
CTV News has learned that since then the accused has resigned – however the school board would not confirm when he officially left.
Paolinelli also coached hockey in the area for the last decade.
Last week, Prince Rupert RCMP said Paolinelli was the focus of an investigation into sexual assault allegations dating back to the 1980's – when he was a minor hockey coach in the area.
Sentencing on the guilty plea has been scheduled for December 21.
With files from Serena Mah
