WESTCHESTER, N.Y. - Two county officials announced last week that they are seeking the ouster of Somers resident Richard Leaf from the Westchester Sports Hall of Fame.
Leaf, once beloved as “The Voice of the County Center,” pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in White Plains before Judge Philip Halpern last month to one federal count of receiving and possessing child pornography.
He faces between five and 20 years in prison when sentenced in January.
As the announcer of the Section 1 basketball championships, the now 75-year-old was a fixture in the high school sports world.
After the retired Harrison middle school teacher was inducted in the Hall of Fame, Somers declared Nov. 10, 2017 as Richard Leaf Day.
He was arrested in 2021 and charged by the FBI with having multiple pornographic images of children on his computer. At the time, he claimed his computer had been “hacked,” according to one media report.
County Executive George Latimer opened his weekly press briefing on Wednesday, July 5, by somberly announcing that he and Vedat Gashi of Yorktown, chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, had to “mention something that’s rather serious.”
He opened his remarks on a positive note.
Established in 1968, the Hall of Fame “has been dedicated to celebrating over 200 remarkable individuals who have achieved greatness in their respective fields and made significant contributions to sports here in Westchester County,” Latimer said, emphasizing that it “not only acknowledges their athletic accomplishments, but also values their positive impact on society, considering them influential role models, particularly to young people.”
“However, recent events have cast a shadow over the reputation of one inductee, Rich Leaf, following his recent guilty plea to a federal pornography charge,” he added.
Gashi then stepped to the podium to announce that “in light of that, we have respectfully requested that the Hall of Fame Committee take immediate action to remove Rich Leaf from the Sports Hall of Fame.”
“By doing so, I believe that we send a clear message that our organization is committed to the safety and well-being of the community and that we won’t tolerate any actions that compromise the trust and respect that we’ve earned over the years,” the District 4 legislator said.
“We believe in the importance of accountability and believe that in taking swift and decisive action in this matter the Hall of Fame will uphold its mission of honoring both the sports community and our wider community.”
Gashi thanked Latimer “for his initiative on this important matter.”
Latimer pointed out Wednesday that asking for someone’s removal is “an unusual step for us to take,” but one that he and Gashi feel “is the right thing to do.”
“It’s important to note that Mr. Leaf has not just been accused of an action, but he has pled guilty to that action, that of child pornography. A crime is a crime of various sorts, but some are particularly heinous, and whenever we’re dealing with an individual in a position of trust and faith that has committed a crime in that general direction, we feel the need to act quickly,” he explained.
A letter reiterating that stand was signed by Latimer and Gashi, dated Wednesday, July 5, and sent to the Sports Hall of Fame Committee, which makes the ultimate decision.
Leaf is in the hands of the criminal justice system and he will have to make whatever restitution the system determines is appropriate, Latimer said at the briefing.
“We here in Westchester County want everyone to understand that we’re not going to uphold individuals who’ve committed, and admitted to, certain types of crimes,” he added, calling it “a clear statement of public policy.”
FALL FROM GRACE
In a 2021 announcement released by the Department of Justice and made by the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, Audrey Strauss, Leaf was alleged to “have engaged in deeply disturbing sexual communications in minors and being in possession of child pornography.”
According to the federal complaint, he had posed as a teenager called “Alex Bronson” between March 2019 and April 2020 in order to communicate via Skype with a minor.
“Alex Bronson” was depicted as a teenage boy with “mid-length surfer-style blonde and brown hair with what appears to be the ocean and beach in the background,” it said, adding that Leaf believed that the person he was communicating with was 15.
He told other recipients of his Skype messages that he was either 18 or 23 years old, the DOJ said.
The DOJ listed the various usernames Leaf is alleged to have used “to engage with under-aged victims.” The complaint alleges that Leaf created fictitious accounts on Chat Avenue, an online chatroom, as well as Skype.
The usernames of some of Leaf’s fictitious accounts include: Alex Bronson, sportsboi.15, alex15, 15brandon, zach.914, runnerboi.14, austinf19. sportsgirl.914, brandon.williams.23, dan.dan77771, beachsand.7, and Austin A. Those who believe they’d been in contact with Leaf were asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or reach authorities online at tips.fbi.gov
As the case was unfolding, FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney urged parents to look at the fake accounts and talk to their kids to see if they’ve been in contact with Leaf.
Law enforcement officers reported finding “almost a dozen images and videos containing child pornography on Leaf’s home computer,” Strauss said.
Interviewed for a lohud.com video in 2017, Leaf was asked to comment on the emotions he felt upon receiving the Hall of Fame honor.
He called it “very special and humbling … especially on the 50th anniversary of this institution and with some of the great, great people that proceeded me.”
Leaf’s 2017 bio described him as a Scarsdale High School graduate who had announced the Section 1 boys and girls basketball tournaments for 36 years. He also had announced games for Iona College men’s and women’s basketball, Scarsdale and Mamaroneck basketball, and numerous tournaments.
He had been officiating soccer for more than 20 years at that point and was also president of the Westchester-Putnam Approved Soccer Officials Association.
According to the Sports Hall of Fame’s website, nominations are made by the public and reviewed by its committee.
A prospective candidate has to be at least 25 years old and “should be a person of integrity and good character” who is well-known in either professional or amateur sports as a player, coach, manager, official, owner, or member of the sports media.
Inductees are revealed in the fall and each gets a trophy and their name inscribed on a plaque at the Westchester County Center in White Plains.
