Former Local Reporter Found Guilty Of Sexually Assaulting Daughter
HACKENSACK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A jury found a former New York City television reporter guilty Thursday of sexually assaulting his then 4-year-old daughter at his New Jersey home.
Former Fox 5 reporter Charles Leaf, of Wyckoff, N.J., was also found guilty of possessing child pornography.
Leaf was arrested in 2010 on three counts of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
In 2011, just more than a year after his arrest, Leaf's wife broke her silence and pleaded with the public in an attempt to bolster his case.
"One year ago my husband was falsely accused of sexually abusing our daughter, who was then 4 years old," Monica Leaf said.
Monica Leaf claimed her husband passed a polygraph test and that their nanny at the time encouraged their daughter to lie.
"At first I didn't know what to believe, clearly. Do you believe your daughter? Do you believe your husband? But within hours I knew that this was not true," she said.
On the witness stand, the now 8-year-old girl withdrew her accusations.
Leaf's father-in-law testified during the trial that he, and not Leaf, viewed child porn on his computer.
The judge revoked Leaf's bail and set sentencing for June 6.
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