Former Templeton advisory group chair jailed for probation violations, faces new charges
Prosecutors file new complaint alleging violations of a second restraining order
– The former chair of the Templeton Area Advisory Group, convicted in a neighbor harassment case, was ordered into custody Thursday after admitting to two violations of his felony probation, San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow announced Oct. 8.
David Allen Leader, 71, appeared with his attorney Thursday morning in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court before Judge Catherine J. Swysen. After reviewing the probation department’s report, the court reinstated Leader’s felony probation and ordered him immediately into custody to serve his 30-day county jail sentence. He had previously been allowed to surrender to the county jail on Oct. 31.
The suspended two-year jail term from his original sentence was not imposed and remains available to the court if he violates probation again, according to the district attorney’s office.
In July, Leader pleaded guilty to one felony count of vandalism and seven misdemeanor counts of disobeying a court order, stemming from a pattern of harassment and repeated violations of a civil harassment restraining order directed at several Templeton-area neighbors. On Aug. 19, he was sentenced to two years of formal felony probation and 30 days in county jail and ordered to stay away from the victims.
The case involved eight neighbors who live along a private road in Templeton and are protected by a civil harassment restraining order. Beginning in October 2024, Leader defaced and destroyed signs the neighbors had posted, sped on the wrong side of the private road, revved his engine near the neighbors, shone lights at their home surveillance cameras at night, and made hand gestures at them, KSBY reported. Leader originally faced more than two dozen charges, and in April a judge revoked his bail and ordered him taken into custody after finding he had continued to violate the restraining orders, CalCoastNews reported.
Leader was chosen to chair the Templeton Area Advisory Group, which advises San Luis Obispo County on planning, land use, public safety and community development in the Templeton area, in January 2026. He resigned from the group in late August, days after his sentencing and after a contentious Aug. 20 meeting at which the board voted 5-1 to amend its bylaws, eliminating a provision that would have allowed the board to remove members with felony convictions. Leader cited advice from his attorney in stepping down.
Also on Thursday, Deputy District Attorney Hunter Starr filed a new misdemeanor complaint charging Leader with two counts of disobeying a court order. The complaint alleges that Leader violated a separate, more recent temporary civil harassment restraining order on Oct. 1 and Oct. 3. An arraignment date on the new case will be set.
A restitution hearing in the original case remains set for 8:30 a.m. Nov. 4 in Department 7 of the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court.
