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Mr. ORNG: Peoria high school where sex crimes suspect once worked to get new principal

By
Updated  June 27, 2024 8:16pm MST
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 10 Phoenix

(Earlier Video) Suns fan Mr. ORNG pleads not guilty to sex crimes

PEORIA, Ariz. - Peoria Unified School District officials say there will be some changes at a high school where a Phoenix Suns superfan who is facing serious accusations involving sexual misconduct once worked.

Per a statement released on June 27, a district spokesperson said a leadership change was announced earlier in June for Peoria High School, but a replacement for principal Landa Tartaglio has not been announced.

Peoria Unified removes principal amid 'Mr. Orng' case

The principal of Peoria High School was placed on leave while an internal investigation takes place stemming from a sexual misconduct case involving former basketball coach Patrick Battillo, also known as Suns fan Mr. Orange.

Officials also state that Tartaglio has been on leave since April, pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

"She is still employed with the district and has not been terminated," read a portion of the statement.

According to the principal's message page on Peoria High School's website, Taraglio has been with Peoria Unified for over 20 years.

Mr. ORNG served as coach at Peoria High

Patrick Battillo

Patrick Battillo

News of a change in leadership at Peoria High came months after Patrick Battillo, a man also known as Mr. ORNG, was arrested and accused of sex crimes involving minors.

An investigation into Battillo began in April, after a teenage boy told school staff members that Battillo had been messaging him, soliciting video that depicted the teen in various sexual acts and in various states of undress.

Investigators said Battillo left school grounds after he was informed of what the victim disclosed. The person who allegedly informed Battillo was identified in court documents as 46-year-old Holly Jean Holgate.

Holly Holgate

Holly Holgate

"When confronted about [Holgate] being a mandated reporter, she advised she felt like she did report the incident by sending the children to the office. [Holgate] also stated she did not know why she notified [Battillo] of the investigation, other than it was haste decision," read a portion of Holgate's court documents.

Court documents for Battillo state that he is being accused of one count of luring a minor for sexual exploitation (A.R.S. 13-3554) and a count of child sex trafficking (A.R.S. 13-3212A1). Holgate, meanwhile, is accused of hindering prosecution in the first degree (A.R.S. 13-2512A) and failure to report the neglect of a minor (A.R.S. 13-3620A).