Marion County Judge Leward LaFleur Faces Renewed Scrutiny Over Alleged Halloween Party Incident

On Tuesday, April 21, 2026, the Longview News-Journal reported that the Marion County District Attorney’s Office is set to review an additional complaint against County Judge Leward LaFleur, potentially leading to indecent assault charges. The new complaint stems from the same November Halloween party where LaFleur is accused of groping a teenage girl.

Lafleur has not been formally charged and continues to deny all allegations. The initial allegation was referred to the Marion County DA, Tim Cariker, who recused himself to avoid any perceived bias. Subsequently, the case was transferred to the Morris County District Attorney’s Office, which declined to pursue felony indecent assault charges. The matter was then referred to Jefferson’s Municipal Court as a Class C misdemeanor offense.

In February, Ryan Henry of San Antonio was appointed as a visiting judge to oversee the case in Jefferson. However, on April 16, Jefferson City Attorney George Hyde announced he was referring the matter back to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office due to new information and a fresh complaint against LaFleur related to the November 1 party.

According to the News-Journal, Hyde’s letter stated that the new information revealed additional details regarding the alleged assault, including a new complaint against Judge LaFleur arising from the same event. Unlike the initial Class C misdemeanor charge, the newly alleged criminal act could constitute indecent assault on an adult complainant, which is a Class A misdemeanor in Texas. The number of alleged acts remains unclear. Hyde did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Hyde stated that the conduct described constitutes a “criminal episode,” which allows the district attorney to pursue all charges. The case was referred back to the district attorney’s office because the municipal court lacks the jurisdiction to prosecute higher-level cases.

Cariker confirmed that the case had been returned to his office and that law enforcement would provide information for review. Following the review, Cariker will decide how to proceed, but he did not provide a timeline for potential charges.

LaFleur reiterated his previous denials of the allegations. In February, he described the accusations as scurrilous and expressed confidence in his eventual vindication.

David Moore, LaFleur’s attorney, stated that LaFleur denies the new allegation as vigorously as the previous one. Moore questioned the timing of the new allegation, suggesting it only surfaced after the initial Class C accusation seemingly failed to gain traction.