David Leader, 71 of Templeton, has been sentenced to County Jail for a campaign of harassment and vandalism aimed at his Templeton neighbors. Submitted photo
A Templeton man who pled guilty to harassing his neighbors has been sentenced to County Jail, formal probation and restitution, the District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
David Allen Leader, 71, received 30 days in County Jail and 2 years of formal probation after pleading to one felony vandalism and seven misdemeanor harassment charges stemming from a campaign of troublesome acts against his neighbors.
“The plea agreement,” he release said, “resolved two consolidated criminal cases arising from a prolonged pattern of alleged vandalism, harassment, and repeated violations of a civil harassment restraining order directed at several Templeton-area neighbors.”
Leaders’ crimes started in October 2024 and involved his neighbors along Orchard Road in Templeton. His acts of vandalism and harassment continued for several months eventually involving eight people in the neighborhood.
“On Oct. 17, 2024,” the release said, “Leader maliciously damaged and defaced personal property belonging to another in an amount exceeding $400. In the months that followed, Leader repeatedly disobeyed a Civil Harassment Prevention Temporary Restraining Order issued by a San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge on Dec. 26, 2024.”
His harassment involved some childish acts. “The conduct underlying the violations,” the news release said, “included revving his vehicle’s engine so it could be heard by his neighbors and their surveillance cameras, driving on the wrong side of the road and exceeding the posted speed limit, staring at neighbors and making hand gestures toward them, slowing or stopping across from their properties, and shining lights at their homes and cameras at night.”
The felony came when he destroyed private property. “The felony vandalism charge is related to Leader’s defacing and destroying private signage owned by the property owners.”
His probation is in lieu of a 2-year jail sentence and if he violates probation, he could be immediately sent to County Jail to serve the full 2-year term. He agreed not to seek an early end to his probation and also “agreed that he will not drive an ATV, quad, or motorcycle on Orchard Road during the entire term of his felony probation.” He was ordered to pay $684 in restitution to two victims and a hearing on restitution for the others is set for Nov. 4.
Leader was also ordered to stay away from his victims as a condition of his probation. The victims in the case were present at his sentencing hearing and provided impact statements to the Court.
D.A. Dan Dow said, “Neighbors don’t have to like one another, but they do have to respect the law and one another’s right to live in peace. When disagreements arise, the answer is to resolve them in a civil and lawful manner — not through vandalism, intimidation, or a relentless campaign of unwanted contact and harassment.
“It is never okay to terrorize the people who live around you. Our office will continue to stand with victims and to hold accountable those who choose criminal behavior over civil resolution.”
The cases were investigated by the County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Dep. D.A. Jerry Lulejian. Victim Witness Supervisor, Beth Raub, and Witness Coordinator, Kellie Navarro provided victim support services.
