McLeese Enters Guilty Plea to Sexual Battery, Providing Alcohol To Minor

PARIS, Tenn. (July 21, 2025) – At a plea hearing held at the Henry County Jail this afternoon, Travis McLeese of Paris entered a ‘blind plea’ of guilty to all three charges before Circuit Court Judge Bruce Griffey: two counts of sexual battery and one count of purchasing alcoholic beverages or beer for a minor. A ‘blind plea’ is entered by a defendant without a plea agreement with the prosecution, leaving the sentencing decision entirely up to the judge.

McLeese is the former director of the Paris-Henry County Chamber of Commerce. He was indicted by a grand jury in March on those charges.

Sentencing was set for September 22 and he was ordered to remain in jail until then. Bond had been denied at his last court appearance after he was arrested for DUI in June. The DUI case is being heard in General Sessions Court.

At today’s hearing, Morgan Greer appeared for the state and McLeese was represented by Daniel Taylor.