County leaders call for Rich Leaf's removal from Hall of Fame over child porn conviction
Two of Westchester County’s top elected officials have called for the removal of legendary basketball announcer Rich Leaf from the Westchester Sports Hall of Fame following his guilty plea to a federal child pornography charge.
County Executive George Latimer and Board of Legislators Chairman Vedat Gashi wrote to the Hall of Fame committee Wednesday asking them to rescind Leaf's 2017 induction.
"By doing so I believe we send a clear message that our organization is committed to the safety and well-being of the community and that we won't tolerate any actions that compromise the trust and respect that we've earned over the years," Gashi said during Latimer's weekly Westchester update. "We believe in the importance of accountability and believe that in taking swift and decisive action in this matter the Hall of Fame will uphold its mission to honoring both the sports community and the wider community."
Leaf’s induction recognized his years as the public address announcer for Section 1 basketball playoffs at the County Center and for Iona College basketball, as well as his work as a high school soccer official.
But the retired Harrison middle school teacher’s reputation was tarnished in 2021 when he was arrested by the FBI and accused of possessing child porn and using multiple fake accounts to pose as a teenager in online chat rooms. It was in one of those rooms that he met a 15-year-old boy who sent Leaf a naked video of himself that FBI agents found during their investigation in 2020.
Leaf pleaded guilty last week in U.S. District Court in White Plains to a single charge of receiving child pornography which carries a minimum prison term of five years and a maximum of 20 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced in January.
The 75-year-old Somers resident did not respond to a phone message seeking comment on the call for his removal from the Hall of Fame. His lawyer has not responded to emails since Friday.
Latimer said that the Hall of Fame, which has inducted more than 200 people since 1968, recognizes not just sports accomplishments but a broader positive impact on society and its members are considered "influential role models, particularly to young people."
Crime: Westchester Sports Hall of Famer pleads guilty to child porn charge
He said it was appropriate to wait until Leaf had pleaded guilty and was not just accused.
"We're not going to uphold individuals who have committed and admitted to certain types of crimes," Latimer said, calling child porn among those that are "particularly heinous."
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rich Leaf should be removed from Hall of Fame: Westchester leadership
