Former Templeton Area Advisory Group (TAAG) Chair David Leader began serving his 30-day jail sentence nearly three weeks early after admitting to two violations of his felony probation.
Leader, 71, was taken into custody on Oct. 8, despite originally being scheduled to report to San Luis Obispo County Jail on Oct. 31. Meanwhile, the county Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider dissolving TAAG on Oct. 20, following a series of resignations that have left the group unable to conduct official business.
Leader appeared before the San Luis Obispo Superior Court on Oct. 8, where he admitted to two probation violations. Judge Catherine Swysen reinstated his probation but ordered him to begin serving his jail sentence immediately.
In July, Leader pleaded guilty to one felony count of vandalism and seven misdemeanor counts of disobeying court orders, stemming from a nearly three-year dispute with neighbors along a private road in Templeton.
He was sentenced on Aug. 19 to two years of formal felony probation and 30 days in county jail, with permission to surrender on Oct. 31.
“The suspended two-year jail term from his original sentence was not imposed,” District Attorney Dan Dow told New Times in an email. “It remains available to the court if he violates his probation again.”
Prosecutors also filed two new misdemeanor charges against Leader on Oct. 8, alleging that he violated a temporary civil harassment restraining order on Oct. 1 and 3.
The charges stem from an August restraining order filed by a tenant living on Leader’s property. The tenant alleged that he repeatedly monitored her whereabouts and approached her residence.
An arraignment date for the new charges has not been set.
Meanwhile, TAAG has begun winding down operations after several resignations left two members on its seven-seat board.
Board member Murray Powell told New Times that acting Chair Brad Goodman recently resigned, leaving Powell and William Nowinski as the group’s only remaining members.
Under TAAG’s bylaws, at least four members are required to establish a quorum, while five are needed to appoint new members to vacant seats.
“We cannot conduct any business,” Powell said. “We are dead in the water, essentially.”
The resignations followed TAAG’s Aug. 20 meeting, when a sheriff’s deputy asked Leader to leave because neighbors protected by restraining orders against him were in attendance.
Leader resigned on Aug. 26, and two other members also stepped down in the days following the meeting. Goodman’s subsequent resignation left the group without enough members to hold meetings or fill vacancies.
Powell said TAAG has already taken several steps toward dissolution, including closing its bank account and transferring its remaining funds to the county.
“The bank account’s been closed. The money has been deposited, is on hold with the county, with county legal,” Powell said.
TAAG has also canceled its standing monthly meeting reservations at the Templeton Community Services District boardroom.
Leader’s restitution hearing for his original criminal case remains scheduled for Nov. 4.
This article appears in Oct 15-22, 2026.
