Origianlly Published in the Riverside Press Enterprise
Written by Lora Hines
Moreno Valley school board member Mike Rios was
convicted Friday, Feb. 8, of pimping, pandering and insurance fraud. Jurors
found Rios, 42, not guilty on one rape charge. They hung on a second rape
charge and one pandering charge. During the trial, Rios cried and engaged in
sharp exchanges with the prosecutor. Jurors got the case Thursday.
State law says Rios’ school board seat will not
become vacant until his sentencing on March 8.
John Hall, spokesman for the Riverside County
district attorney’s office, said it was unclear whether Rios would be retried
on the two charges on which the jury hung.
Rios was taken into custody following his
conviction. His bail was revoked. He faces up to 33 years in prison during
sentencing
Deputy Riverside County Public Defender Michael
Micallef couldn’t be reached for comment Friday following Rios’ conviction
Moreno Valley Unified School District board
president Cleveland Johnson said he’s hopeful Rios’ conviction will allow the
school district to move forward and focus on the work of its students and
teachers.
“There are a lot of good things going on in
Moreno Valley,” said Johnson, who cited recent state Golden Bell awards for
Hidden Springs Elementary and Valley View High schools. “We want to get this
behind us.”
Johnson said the board has had to operate under
the premise that Rios was innocent. However, he said he became concerned after
it was disclosed in court that Rios said he ran a private dancing/stripping
business. Johnson said he began thinking about what the board could do if Rios
was acquitted.“There’s nothing we could have done prior to
today,” Johnson said. “This put a whole new light on everything.”
Rios had been free and continued to attend school
board meetings. Elected in 2010, Rios remains a member of the school board,
which could not oust him. He refused to resign.Superintendent Judy White said the board at its
Tuesday, Feb. 12, meeting will discuss its next steps regarding Rios’ seat. In
a written statement, she said the district remains focused on “providing the
best education possible for all of our students.”
Within 60 days of a vacancy, the board must make
a provisional appointment or order an election, she said. “We ask for patience
as the board, the district and the community work through this long and
difficult process together,” White said.
Rios, who faced multiple charges of pimping and pandering, plus two counts of rape and six counts of insurance fraud, denied he was a pimp, procurer and rapist. He insisted on the witness stand that he did nothing illegal. Rios called “ridiculous” the charges that he ran a prostitution ring out of his home, worked to get more women to join the operation, raped two of the prostitutes involved in it and committed insurance fraud by allegedly making false claims stemming from a December 2011 vehicle accident.
His arrest last April in the pimping case resulted from the investigation into a separate attempted murder case in which Rios is accused of shooting at two men who followed him to his house after they got into an argument at a Moreno Valley bar in February 2012. Those charges still are pending. He has also pleaded not guilty in that case, and has steadfastly insisted that all of the charges were fabricated to kill his political career.
Rios, who faced multiple charges of pimping and pandering, plus two counts of rape and six counts of insurance fraud, denied he was a pimp, procurer and rapist. He insisted on the witness stand that he did nothing illegal. Rios called “ridiculous” the charges that he ran a prostitution ring out of his home, worked to get more women to join the operation, raped two of the prostitutes involved in it and committed insurance fraud by allegedly making false claims stemming from a December 2011 vehicle accident.
His arrest last April in the pimping case resulted from the investigation into a separate attempted murder case in which Rios is accused of shooting at two men who followed him to his house after they got into an argument at a Moreno Valley bar in February 2012. Those charges still are pending. He has also pleaded not guilty in that case, and has steadfastly insisted that all of the charges were fabricated to kill his political career.
City political activists, residents and school
employees fell short of collecting enough (10,000) signatures to place a vote calling
for Rios’ recall on the Nov. 6, 2012, ballot.
After Rios’ arrests, the school board censured him, meaning it issued a severe statement of disapproval. It also changed its bylaws, limiting access to schools and school activities for board members who are charged with crimes, including those that involve children.
After Rios’ arrests, the school board censured him, meaning it issued a severe statement of disapproval. It also changed its bylaws, limiting access to schools and school activities for board members who are charged with crimes, including those that involve children.
The prospects for healthcare reform may be chillier than DC weather, but Democrats in the House and Senate are turning their attention to another warmer but still significant national issue: the increasing number of runaway and throwaway youth who are being forced into prostitution. In response to the growing concerns that desperate, runaway teens will be forced into prostitution in a sluggish economy, Congress is pushing several bills to improve how runaway kids are tracked by the police, fund crucial social services, and prevent teens from being caught in sex trafficking. Here's the gist of what the new legislation is trying to accomplish:
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