Novato man, 65, charged with molesting child

Marin Independent Journal - 7/8/2021

Jul. 9—A 65-year-old man was arraigned Thursday on charges of molesting a 7-year-old child in Novato, authorities said.

The alleged crime occurred at a residence on Monday, said Detective Sgt. Alan Bates. The child fled and reported the allegations to parents, according to the preliminary investigation.

The child and the parents came to the Novato Police Department to file a report. The investigation continued through the night as police gathered statements and evidence, Bates said.

Police booked Leslie Michael Church into the Marin County Jail on Tuesday morning on two felony sex crimes counts. His bail was set at $500,000.

Bates declined to release additional details about the case, citing "the sensitive nature of this investigation and the need to protect the victim's identity."

The Marin County District Attorney's Office filed related charges the following day. Church made his initial court appearance on Thursday.

Church's defense attorney did not respond to requests for comment.

Aside from the current case, Church, a Novato resident, has no history of criminal charges in Marin County Superior Court.

___

Visit The Marin Independent Journal (Novato, Calif.) at www.marinij.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.