California School Board Member Convicted Of Running Prostitution Ring

Riverside, CA — Mike Rios, a member of a local school board, was convicted by a Riverside County jury on Friday on 23 felonies related to a sex-for-sale ring.

Rios was elected in 2010 to a four-year term on the school board in Moreno Valley, California. Last year, the Democratic Club of Moreno Valley tried to recall Rios, a Democrat, from office but failed to get enough signatures on the petition. He will officially stay in as a member of the school board until a judge formally hands down a prison sentence according to the Press-Enterprise. Rios, who is being held without bail, could face up to 33 years behind bars.

Apparently while the pimping-related charges were pending he continued to attend school board meetings.

NBC Newshas the details on the guilty verdict:

“[Rios] was convicted of rape, pimping, pandering and other counts related to six victims, including two underage girls.

“In seeking women to work as prostitutes, Rios told one woman he was a member of the Moreno Valley school board and asked if she wanted a job, according to the according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. To an underage girl, Rios offered the use of his Hummer is she would work for him, the DA’s office said…

“The jury of eight men and four women found Rios guilty of one count of rape, 12 counts of pimping, six counts of insurance fraud, and five pandering counts.”

According to the Los Angeles Times, one woman testified Rios showed her his school board business card when he recruited her for his business. “He wanted her ‘to gather girls and sell them,’ she said.”

Rios, 42, is scheduled to be sentenced on the prostitution charges in early March, but the sentencing hearing could be postponed because he is facing a separate trial for attempted murder in connection with shooting outside his home in February 2012.