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CHILD STALKER INDICTED

Leon Frederick Richards, Jr., a white male, age 34, of Street, Maryland, was indicted by the Grand Jury for Harford County on January 22, 2008, on 23 counts consisting of one count of Sexual Offense in the First Degree, one count of Sexual Offense in the Second Degree, one count of Sexual Offense in the Third Degree, four counts of the production of child pornography, three counts of possession of child pornography with the intent to distribute, one count of possession of child pornography, six counts of Stalking, and six counts of Sexual Solicitation of a minor.

Richards was arrested after an incident on 9 January 2008 where a young girl in the Bel Air area believed that Richards was stalking her. Richards was operating a white Toyota Tacoma pick-up with an extended cab. Investigation by the

Child Advocacy Center led to the discovery of similar complaints in Harford County. Richards is being held without bond in the Harford County Detention Center.

The stalking and sexual solicitation offenses occurred in August 2007, September 2007, and January 2008. The Sexual offenses occurred in 2006 and involve unidentified minor children. The child pornography charges arose from events that began in 2006 and continued to the present. Photographs seized from Richards contained images of African-American children ranging in age from 4 years to their late teens performing sexual acts. Investigators believe that the children are in the Harford County or Baltimore metro area and are attempting to identify them.

The case is being investigated by the Harford County Child Advocacy Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Anyone with any information concerning this case is urged to contact the Harford County Child Advocacy Center, 410.638.3294. Please contact Joseph Cassilly, State’s Attorney for Harford County, at 410-638-3500 for further information regarding this case.