Fox 5 Reporter Charged With Sexually Assaulting Girl, 4

October 8, 2010 5:54 PM

Charles Leaf mugshot

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Heard On 1010 WINS, WCBS, WFAN, Local, News, Seen On CBS 2HD, Watch + Listen

NEW YORK (CBS 2/1010 WINS/AP) – Fox 5 News reporter Charles Leaf was arrested Tuesday in New Jersey on sex assault charges.

Leaf, 40, a general assignment and investigative reporter, was arrested on three counts of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child at his home in Wyckoff, according to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.

Officials said the victim, a 4-year-old girl, was an acquaintance of Leaf and was assaulted inside his home, 1010 WINS’ Steve Sandberg reported.

Leaf, an ex-Marine and married father of two, was charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

Leaf was also ordered to surrender his passport and have no contact with the victim.

CBS 2′s John Slattery spoke with neighbors who couldn’t believe the allegations.

“Devastated. Nice guy. Great family. Shocked, shocked and hope it’s not true,” Judy Mullane said.

Mullane described Leaf as a “friendly guy” and said “He plays with his kids in the front yard all the time and some of the other neighborhood kids join in.”

“I can’t believe it. He seems like a great family man to me,” Joseph Mullane said.

Leaf’s wife refused to speak with CBS 2.

The arrest stemmed from an investigation between the prosecutor’s office Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit and the Wyckoff Police Department.

Leaf is being held on $250,000 bail and his arraignment was scheduled for November 4.

Leaf joined the station in 2006. A station spokesperson said Fox 5 management was “aware of the matter and is reviewing it.”

Fox 5 Reporter Charged With Sexually Assaulting Girl, 4

Matan

Go ahead…have a seat…have a seat right there…
dhegs

I’m tired of Innocent until proven guilty…: If he wasn’t guilty, they wouldn’t have had cause to arrest him. You must be a defense attorney.

Ghead

Wow. You naive, juvenile moron. For real? There are so many different scenarios where YOU can be accused of something you didn’t do it would fill a BOOK. So you better thank God we have “innocent until proven guilty”. Idiot.
What a bubble you must live in…

dhegs

very stupid comment.
jimbo

Innocent or Guilty , this guy’s life and Career are completely OVER. And yes , many times other prisoners do find out about Child Molesters /Rapists that are being held in custody with them . Then they exact their own justice on them. Unless the Corrections Department hold the prisoner in Solitary Confinement.
mg

Cnn will find a spot for him.
muradmessiee

i am agree with the last comment of cos
JeannieB2R

I agree. He is innocent till proven guilty. I am bashing the lack of media coverage. Fox is covering up for one of their own. CBS was doing the same thing till now. The Press run free for everybody.
fa

Cos , obviously ,is not a local in this country or his [her] teacher would squirm with the english composition THROW the book etc etc through ????

m mm mmmmmmmmmm
Cos

Whoa! Slow down, everyone… Let’s wait until he’s been found guilty before we through the book at him. This is a serious charge and if he’s found guilty, he deserves the maximum sentence – without question. But, I’ve seen a few publicized cases where children were ‘coached’ or otherwise persuaded to talk about something that never actually happened… Let’s wait to find out all the facts… This is still America where one is innocent until proven guilty!

dhegs

Oh please!

spencer189

What’d he think, he was above the law.?? Jerk..
Semper Infidelis

Whatever the case, I’m sure it won’t be his fault. It’ll be blamed on PTSD or some other BS.
EricM

C’mon folks…INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.
jagdish

Article leaves out small detail – minor was 11 year old BOY!
Necio

Good Day NY reported on this story this morning.

JeannieB2R

Greg Kelly mentioned the story in a two second blurp this morning. Granted but the Cake Boss guy got villified by every press circuit for similar charges not that long ago. Even TMZ had the story. What makes this guy different. The wall of slience from those who control the information spread…THE PRESS. Let’s see how much time this story is on the news. It hit the press, CBS for example 3 days after the indicient. Come on. Don’t tell me someone isn’t trying to do damage control. And I may add that Fox 5 has some if not all of the gory details because they employ him. They have ways of prying into people’s personal life. So while we have a right to the press, I think they can be a tad overbearing and very dishonest when it comes to reporting the truth, so long as it suits them.

Roy

A little jail time,might help him solve his weight gain problem
CSI

Still LOL. Sorry to hear it. I am not sorry. Good for the looser if he did do what they say. I dont think fox will cover the story very well. But PIX should. Get emm…
Sean Hollywood

He was framed
JeannieB2R

I wish someone would tell us more information about what happened. Also, the people at Fox 5 covered the story this morning but didn’t do a very good job letting us know more than what is here. If this was the average Joe then all the details would be available. The press is trying to protect one of their own now that the shoe is on the other foot. Becareful what you say or do because karam will prick you, to say the least. Reporters…
CJ

Wow this breaks my heart. I think this guy has been doing a great job of reporting. I am sorry to hear this and hope this is really not true
CSI

LOL. This is to funny. What an Idiot.
tiblanc vlak

I cannot agree more, if it was the average public at least 4 pages of microsoft words would be dedicated to that story. Perverts in all shapes and sizes.
nathan

From a star to a criminal in one easy step.
Derek K Evans

Wow!! I hope he’s not in protective custody so that he can converse with other inmates…Should be a nice chat.
Derek K Evans

ow!
Roy

What ,great article,very informative…………………?

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Fox 5 Reporter Charged With Sexually Assaulting Girl, 4

October 8, 2010 5:54 PM

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