The Peoria Police Department has served a search warrant at the Peoria Unified School District offices in the investigation of two former Centennial High School teachers accused of inappropriate relationships with the same student.
Sgt. Araceli Montes, a Peoria police spokesperson, said in a statement that the warrant served Monday was “issued by a judge and sought materials that investigators believe may be relevant to the investigation.”
Police did not say what investigators were looking for, what materials were seized or whether any person or organization is the target of the investigation.
“Because this is an active investigation, we are limited in the information we can provide at this time,” Montes said in a statement. “The execution of a search warrant should not be interpreted as a finding of wrongdoing by any individual or organization.”
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“We recognize the public interest in this matter and remain committed to conducting a fair, thorough, and impartial investigation,” Montes said. “Additional information will be released when appropriate and when doing so will not compromise the integrity of the investigation.”
The action came after an expanded police investigation into the teacher sex scandal at the district's Centennial High School. Police in May issued a search warrant seeking confidential district records tied to the investigation.
It also came after board member Heather Rooks said she asked Rep. Abe Hamadeh to help push for federal intervention to increase transparency in the probe. In June, Hamadeh sent a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon flagging "grave concern" about "systemic leadership failures, mandatory reporting breakdowns, and the obstruction of law enforcement within public education."
What is the Peoria teacher sex scandal?
The investigation centers on the conduct of former teachers Haley Beck and Angela Burlaka, who are accused of having a sexual relationship with the same student.
Both teachers were placed on administrative leave in late 2025. The school district terminated Burlaka’s employment in January.
The district conducted an internal investigation and found Beck to have groomed the student, according to Danielle Airey, a spokesperson for Peoria Unified. In March, Peoria Unified board members approved the district's recommendation to also terminate Beck’s employment.
Police in April resubmitted recommended felony charges against Beck and Burlaka.
Matt Long, Beck's attorney, said in a statement that his client "committed no crimes."
In May, the department confirmed to The Arizona Republic it was widening its probe after receiving a tip that another student may have had a sexual encounter with Beck. Later that month, police issued a search warrant relating to the ongoing criminal investigation into Beck and Burlaka, which the district sought to limit.
An attorney for the district in June argued some confidential documents sought by police — including closed-door board discussions — are protected by attorney-client privilege, while others involve student records shielded under federal privacy law.
Airey told The Republic the motion was filed at the behest of the governing board President Jeff Tobey and Tahlya Visintainer, the newly appointed interim superintendent. According to individual board members, the motion was filed without their knowledge or consent.
