$500K bond for Kettering youth referee in child rape case

UPDATE @ 11:52 a.m. (Feb. 2)

David Leiser, 67, was arraigned Tuesday and entered not guilty pleas for his charges of rape of a child. His bond was set at $500,000 cash surety, plus an electronic home detention monitoring if he makes bail.

UPDATE @ 6:40 p.m. (Jan. 29)

School officials are looking to enhance the screening process for game officials following the indictment this week of a youth referee on child rape charges.

David Leiser, 67, was indicted on two counts of rape involving a child younger than 10 in his neighborhood, according to a Montgomery County grand jury report released Thursday.

School officials said the allegations are causing them to make some changes in the application process to become a youth referee.

“Applicants have to register with the Ohio Athletic Association Officials and are asked questions about felonies,” said Chris Weaver, Athletic Director for Kettering Fairmont High School. “But it does not include an Official BCI or FBI background check.”

Leiser was suspended from officiating games this morning, said Greater Western Ohio Conference Assignor Kevin Forrer. If he is found guilty on the charges, Leiser will be banned from refereeing youth games for life.

“We are going to use this as an opportunity for growth and to change the way we do things to keep the children safe,” Weaver said. “We have tremendous officials who care about their profession as well as the athletes and coaches.”

FIRST REPORT

A 67-year-old Kettering man is accused of sexually assaulting a young girl in his neighborhood.

David R. Leiser was indicted today on two counts of rape involving a child younger than 10, according to a Montgomery County grand jury report.

Leiser originally was arrested Jan. 21 on suspicion of gross sexual imposition and remains in the Montgomery County Jail on $250,000 bond, online jail records show.

The indictment stems from sexual abuse alleged to have occurred between Dec. 1, 2015, and Jan. 11, 2016, said Greg Flannagan of the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.

Leiser is youth sports referee for basketball and soccer. Since 1998, he served as an eighth-grade referee for the Ohio South State Referee Committee, a member of the U.S. Soccer Federation, but he is not on active status for 2016, a state referee administrator said tonight.

Leiser is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday on the first-degree felony charges, Flannagan said.

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