A 65-year-old man with long-standing ties to Conroe-area religious ministries has been extradited from Arkansas to Montgomery County on two counts of indecency with a child, according to authorities. Detectives identified the suspect as Leland Fleming and say he was brought back to Conroe on June 25 and is being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond. Investigators say the allegations stretch across multiple decades, and the Sheriff’s Office says its work is far from over as detectives continue gathering evidence and looking for additional witnesses.
Investigation, arrest and extradition
Deputies responded on May 8 to the 18000 block of Cooper Road in Conroe after a report of indecency with a child. Investigators say three adult women later came forward and described alleged abuse dating back to the 1990s. An arrest warrant was issued May 28. Detectives then tracked Fleming to Madison County, Arkansas, where local law enforcement took him into custody before he was returned to Montgomery County on June 25. He faces two counts of indecency with a child and is being held without bond, according to Click2Houston.
Who is investigating
The Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit, which handles child sexual abuse allegations, is leading the investigation in coordination with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and state child-protection agencies. The department’s publicly listed non-emergency dispatch line - (936) 538-5900 - is the number to call for tips, and investigators asked that anyone with information reference case number 26A156874. Details on the unit’s work and partner agencies are posted by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.
Community ties investigators flagged
Detectives told Click2Houston that Fleming has been involved with various religious ministries in Montgomery County and has worked with children’s choirs and homeschool groups. Those connections are now part of the paper trail as investigators look for additional witnesses. Officials did not identify any specific organizations and did not say whether any groups knew about the allegations before the recent reports. The Sheriff’s Office said reaching out to congregation members and former participants in those programs is central to how they are building the case.
What the charges mean
Under Texas law, “indecency with a child” covers sexual contact with a person younger than 17 and certain types of exposure. The offense is defined in Penal Code §21.11. The level of felony and the possible punishment depend on the conduct alleged, and a conviction can bring years in prison along with post-conviction requirements such as registration obligations, according to the Texas Penal Code. Fleming, like all defendants, is presumed innocent while prosecutors review the evidence and prepare any formal filings.
Court dates and next procedural steps will move through the Montgomery County court system, and the District Attorney’s Office will decide whether to seek formal indictments. The Sheriff’s Office again asked anyone with potentially relevant information to call the non-emergency line and emphasized that the investigation is ongoing.
