Centennial High School in Peoria, Arizona, which serves about 2,000 students in grades nine through 12, is under scrutiny for having not one, but two, female teachers being investigated for grooming the same male student. The school, which is part of Peoria Unified School District, is located 20 miles outside of Phoenix.
The teachers, Angela Burlaka, 49, and Haley Beck, 27, were terminated and deemed ineligible for rehire at Centennial High School, but neither of them have been arrested or charged (yet). Burlaka worked there for 26 years and was the current director of Cooperative Education and Beck began her employment in 2020.
The investigation began when a male student showed his grandmother a video on his phone of Burlaka masturbating in the shower. Identifying tattoos were visible in the video that were ultimately used to positively identify Burlaka. The grandmother called police to report the incident.
Around the same time, Peoria police received a tip from a former Centennial High School student about suspicions regarding Haley Beck, another teacher, and an inappropriate relationship with a male student—who happened to be the same student.
When police spoke with Scott Hollabaugh, principal of Centennial High School, to follow up on both allegations, they learned he also received complaints about an inappropriate relationship between the victim and Beck. Despite knowledge of possible misconduct, Hollabaugh did not issue a report on Beck.
Both teachers were placed on administrative leave in August 2025. Burlaka ultimately surrendered her teaching certificates and Beck was terminated. Peoria police submitted charges for Burlaka and Beck to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office in February 2026, which were returned for further investigation and resubmitted on April 8, 2026. The recommended charges are as follows:
- Burlaka: one count of furnishing obscene material to a minor, a class 4 felony punishable by more than three years in prison, fines and possible probation
- Beck: one count of pandering, or inducing another to engage in prostitution, a class 5 felony punishable by up to 2.5 years in prison and fines of up to $150,000
The victim was 18 when the investigation began, but he was groomed by both teachers when he was still a minor. Burlaka began communicating inappropriately with the victim when he was 16. Burlaka was not his teacher and it is is unknown as to how the communications began. Beck began grooming the victim during the 2023-2024 academic year, when he was a sophomore, and continued doing so until 2025. She was the victim’s psychology and sociology teacher during his sophomore and junior years.
The victim has not wanted to cooperate with detectives due to concerns of it interfering with athletic scholarships. The victim has also since transferred to another school, which was allegedly motivated by athletics.
Investigation into Angela Burlaka
Burlaka is alleged to have sent explicit sexual material to several 16- to 17-year-old football players at the school via text message and SnapChat. Burlaka allegedly told at least one minor male student that her “husband doesn’t satisfy me enough” and asked him to come to her classroom early.
Information from the near-200-page police report (linked below) indicates Burlaka also began behaving oddly towards a female student after learning she was dating one of the football players. Whenever the female student asked to use the restroom, Burlaka accused her of going to see her boyfriend, and also frequently asked about this same boyfriend.
The investigation is ongoing, but substantially more information exists publically about Beck, thus far.
Investigation into Haley Beck
Beck and the victim exchanged more than 4,000 texts between June 21, 2025 and August 2, 2025. Many of the texts were highly sexual in nature. Text records revealed that Beck offered the victim oral sex on multiple occasions; allowed him access to her vehicle, even handing her car keys to him in front of the girls’ soccer team, which she coached; offered to purchase tequila and marijuana for the victim; completed his homework, raised his grades and improved his attendance, and sent the victim $630 via Apple Pay over two months. In text exchanges, Beck referred to herself as a “sugar mama” and said,” This money exchange felt like straight prostitution.” It is also alleged that a video circulated of Beck engaging in oral sex with the victim.
People interviewed by police disclosed telling details about Beck’s behaviors at the school and towards the victim. Beck openly favored male students over female students, showing particular favoritism to football team members. On at least one occasion, Beck invited some of the football players to swim at the pool in her apartment complex. She was also known to be unusually close with the female students on the soccer team she coached. She often communicated with them outside of school and offered to do favors for them. She’d also give them special privileges, such as allowing them to get lunch off campus and frequently paying for their food.
Beck has been described as behaving more like a peer than an authority figure. She got involved in gossip and was concerned with what her students thought of her. Beck was seemingly fixated on reliving her high school experience; a statement that was actually insinuated by the victim, who said she was “stuck in high school.” She frequently took TikTok videos with her underage students and shared them via the platform without parental consent. Many students and staff alike acknowledged Beck’s strange behaviors with students.
Beck also is the sister of famous TikToker and “Baywatch” star Noah Beck. A TikTok video of Noah and Haley Beck allegedly recently surfaced, where she described all her “best friends” as being some of her students.
Police issued a search warrant of Beck’s apartment and vehicle in August 2025. Bodily fluids were identified in the backseat. In Beck’s apartment, police seized a long handwritten letter addressed to the victim. The letter was included in the police report and reads verbatim as follows:
You’re probs gonna think this is cheesy as hell but you know I’m a words girly. I know, I know…you aren’t dying + you’re literally just a text away but I had little notes from people when I was away studying abroad + would just read them whenever I was feelin a little lonely. Obviously, w/ you being away from your closest people, you may feel that way at some point. So read this if you do 12 I’m really proud of you for choosing yourself in this situation even though I know it was tough. It’s kinda crazy to look back + realize in my 2 years of knowing you, our relationship has changed so much. I’m really glad I had the opportunity to teach you your sophomore year bc without that, we would’ve never really been chill w/ each other! I know there’s some random times/days where you decide to hate me – but that’s okay bc I know at the end of the day, we’re solid (most of the time). I genuinely feel like you’re a brother (weird…maybe a cousin or step-bro 12) + truly never thought I would be in this situation w/ you, but I’m glad to have you as someone who I think will be in my life for a while. Even if we don’t talk all the time now or even @ all when you’re in college, I feel like our little bond will always be there – so just hit me up when you wanna go get wasted @ a bar together. And I’ll send you my wedding invite one day.
I know you are nostalgic af so I hope you look back at our time as a good one 12 and no, this isn’t me like saying good bye, but I know things will be different. But don’t forget our first pickleball hang out + how you wouldn’t get out of my car for like 3 hours, or our sonic run after your state game, or all the random times you “fell asleep” on my couch just waiting for me to invite you into my room (lol). Oooohh our go-kart experience + our word games @ shake shack! You know, for this “relationship” being extremely wrong, I feel like we have really made the most of it. I’m glad I got to come to your tattoo appts (even if you just wanted me to bring u food). All of our car hangouts were fun, too (for eating + other stuff lol). Or our night adventure in Cali! Like there is truly no other student (I know, so wrong) that I’d want to do all this with. Don’t let this all go to your head, but I’m glad you’re in my life 1 – okay ew wtf. I mean, you’ve been to my parents house…in their closet…insane. I feel like you have opened up to me about a lot of things. I’m glad that I’ve been able to be someone you can talk to. Even though sometimes my advice or input is unsolicited, I’m happy we can talk about things. You know you can always reach out of your neee anything 1.
I won’t lie, I would always look forward to when you would come over. Not even to do anything – but just to hang. I feel like I got good @ being by myself, but even w/ you, it was still just easy. Whether it was to talk, watch movies, make pizza, or do other stuff, I’m glad we have those mems. And lastly, it kinda hit me that it’ll be weird not seeing you during storm the halls + even weirder not seeing you on the field. I’m sure you knew this, but you’re the reason I went to all the games I could. Before I knew you well, I’d go to a few games a season, but last season I wanted to go to as many as I could + I’m glad I did because those were the last ones I’d be at for you 12. It’s not going to be the same, but I’m happy knowing you’re happy w/ where you’re at. I’m proud of you to all you’ve done + all you’ll continue to do. This is just the beginning! Even though you will go to your grave saying “we aren’t peers” I’m glad to have you as a friend. Like bro, you’re the 1st person that got me to smoke weed. You’re always gonna have that title, so we’re locked for real. And maybe one day we’ll be able to go to the aquarium 12. I’m here whenever 1. Even though you never say it back, I love you + wish you all the best, always 1.
Love, HB
It should be noted that the victim was 18 when the above communications were made, though grooming is alleged to have begun when he was still a minor, and that Beck used “predatory practices,” such as the exchange of money, to lure him.
Of Beck’s conduct, Peoria Unified School District released the following statement:
“The respondent maintained her professional position and used her power to manipulate the complainant and to develop a relationship outside the professional boundaries between student and teacher. These grooming actions were by definition unwelcome, and the behavior is severe, pervasive and objectively offensive.”
Mandatory Reporting
Under Arizona State law, any adult who works closely with children and has reason to believe a child is being abused or neglected is required to immediately contact police or the Department of Child Services (DCS). Mandatory reporters include school staff and faculty, law enforcement, medical professionals and religious leaders, as well as the child’s parents or guardians.
The victim’s mother was aware of their inappropriate relationship. She told investigators that Beck and her son began a sexual relationship when he turned 17 and she told him to “end it.” The victim was a star athlete on a varsity team that won multiple championships, and he and his parents didn’t want him coming forward due to fear of it harming his chances at an athletic scholarship. In this case, the school principal and the victim’s mother were aware of an incident occurring before it was reported. In the state, failing to report child sexual abuse is a class 6 felony.
Peoria police did not issue charges against anyone who may have failed to report a crime, in this situation, because it “did not meet the legal threshold required to establish reasonable suspicion of abuse that would mandate a report to law enforcement or child protective services,” according to Arizona’s Family.
More to come as the story develops.
Sources
- 12News — Two Centennial High teachers face potential felony charges in sex-related cases with minors
- 12News — Peoria police resubmit recommended charges against teacher accused of grooming student
- The Arizona Republic — Peoria Unified plans to fire teacher who it says ‘groomed a student’
- People — Noah Beck’s sister, Haley, faces termination from teaching job after internal investigation found she ‘groomed a student’
- Arizona’s Family — Centennial High School teachers’ sexual abuse cases under review
- WSAZ3 — 2 high school teachers accused of sexual misconduct with same teenage student: ‘It’s not an achievement’
- Police report
Criminal Case Files 
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