Ex-Kennesaw Mayor Indicted for Sexual Crimes Against Children

Photo Credit: Cobb County Sheriff’s Office

A former mayor of the City of Kennesaw will stand trial for two counts of child molestation and other offences involving sexual images of children, according to a release from the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office.

A Cobb County grand jury indicted Leonard Church on one count of child molestation, one count of aggravated child molestation, and four counts of sexual exploitation of children on Thursday, the DA’s Office said Friday.

According to the indictment, Church stands accused of fondling a 16-year-old boy while showing him pornographic images during May of 2014. In addition, Church allegedly possessed child pornography as early as 2006, including five images of young girls’ genitals and one image of a young boy’s genitals.

A warrant was issued for Church’s arrest as part of the indictment, but he turned himself in to Cobb County jail on Friday, the DA’s Office said. He was released from jail after paying a $20,000 bond at 3 p.m. Friday, Cobb County jail records show. An arraignment date for Church has yet to be set, the DA’s Office said.

Church served as the Mayor of Kennesaw between 2000 and 2008, and was on the Kennesaw City Council at the time of his arrest on charges of child molestation in late June of last year.