California school principal pleads guilty to sending sexually explicit messages to minor
SOMERSET – A man who worked as an elementary school principal in Northern California has been convicted of several sex crimes against a child, prosecutors say.
The El Dorado County District Attorney's Office says Boyd Holler pleaded guilty on Monday to charges of distributing pornography to a minor and contacting a minor for purposes of committing a sexual offense.
Holler, 37, was the principal at Pioneer Elementary School in Somerset when he was arrested.
Detectives say Holler was messaging a girl online who he believed to be 12 years old. Holler continued sending messages despite being told by the girl she was in 7th grade and lived in Philadelphia, prosecutors say.
Prosecutors also say that Holler not only sent the girl sexually explicit messages from his Pollock Pines home and from the Pleasant Valley Holiday Market, he also allegedly messaged her from his Pioneer Elementary office.
Authorities announced Holler's arrest back in October 2023. Some families told CBS13 at the time that they only learned of the investigation and arrest from social media. Even school officials acknowledged that they didn't learn of the arrest until after it was announced by the district attorney's office.
Superintendent Patrick Paturel said in a statement on Monday that they had been notified that Holler had pleaded guilty.
"I continue to be thankful for the families of the Pioneer Union School District community for their trust in our work, our employees and our commitment to students," Paturel wrote. "We are grateful for the agencies involved in the investigation, arrest, and prosecution in this case."
Holler is set to be officially sentenced on Jan. 22, 2024. The district attorney's office says he will serve 3 years and 8 months in state prison.