A Toronto Catholic high school teacher has been charged by police with luring a child online for sexual purposes.

Toronto police said a search warrant was executed in the area of Bloor St. W. and Lansdowne Ave. on Thursday.

Police said the suspect taught at Bishop Allen Academy in Etobicoke.

He previously taught at Bishop Morroco-Thomas Merton Catholic Secondary School in 2007 and 2008.

Police alleged that the teacher used different usernames online, including thepoppaship, poppaship, mrmcteacher, G-Note/ G Note, massive reggae/massivereggae.

TCDSB spokesperson John Yan said the teacher has been removed from his position at Bishop Allen Academy.

“We want to reassure our parents and students that these allegations are not reflective of the caring and compassionate teaching professionals who work in our schools,” said Yan. Counsellors are available to any students and staff who may need support.

The teacher may have worked as an education assistant at St. Francis Xavier Secondary School in Mississauga from 1995 to 2000, police said. He worked as an administrative assistant at St. Francis Table in Toronto from 2000-2006.

Gerard McGilly, 46, is charged with luring a child under 18, sexual exploitation, making sexually explicit material available to a person under 18, making child pornography, possessing child pornography, and accessing child pornography.

Police said the investigation continues. They are urging anyone who may have been subjected to inappropriate contact by the teacher to call investigators.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sex Crimes, Child Exploitation Section at 416-808-8500, or Crime Stoppers, anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).