Former state rep, mayoral candidate indicted

Fred Leonard (Lebanon Voice file photo)

ROCHESTER - A former state rep from Rochester has been indicted in the theft of more than $1,500 from the Strafford County Republican Committee.

Fred Leonard, a frequent vocal activist at City Council Meeting who formerly served as the Strafford County Republican Committee's treasurer, could not be immediately reached for comment by The Lebanon Voice.

The felony charges of theft by unauthorized taking were certified on Thursday and alleged the theft of the money between January 2012 and November 2014, court documents indicated.

Leonard, 54, faces a penalty 7 1/2 to 15 years in state prison if convicted.

Leonard, a former vice president of the Rochester Concerned Taxpayers Association, ran an unsuccessful bid for city mayor in the last municipal election.

Leonard is expected to be arraigned next month.

An indictment is not an indication of guilt, only that enough evidence has been gathered to warrant a trial.