In a turn of events at the Maricopa County Superior Court, ex-Peoria High School athletic figure William Roberts III has been cleared of allegations that he engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with minors. Roberts was acquitted yesterday of six counts of sexual conduct with a minor, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. The charges, which dated back as far as 2006, were based on incidents that allegedly occurred before he took his position as head basketball coach at the school.

Roberts took the stand during the trial to deny the accusations, stating that the sexual contact did not take place until after the alleged victims had turned 18, as 12 News reported. His legal battles arrived to a close following a jury's decision to absolve him of the criminal charges.

This development precedes the unfolding scandal surrounding his successor, Patrick "Mr. ORNG" Battillo, a former Peoria High assistant coach and self-proclaimed Phoenix Suns superfan. Battillo, recently indicted, is facing multiple charges including four counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. Charges against Battillo concern accusations that he tried to pay a 15-year-old boy for explicit videos, along with inappropriate communications with other students, as detailed in court documents acquired by FOX 10 Phoenix.

Roberts, whose history with the district dates back to 2002, was previously placed on administrative leave in 2019 pending an internal investigation and resigned the following May. The Peoria Unified School District stated that Roberts, at the time he was hired, "received a background check and was issued an IVP fingerprint clearance card that was regularly renewed during his employment,” as FOX 10 Phoenix reported.

The back-to-back cases have cast a shadow over the Peoria High School basketball program, raising concerns about the measures in place to protect minors from potential predators. As the community reckons with the outcome of Roberts' trial, many wait to see how the allegations against Battillo will play out in court.