School Board Member Refuses To Resign Amid Pimping Allegations
MORENO VALLEY (CBS) — A Moreno Valley school board member attended a meeting Tuesday after being charged with turning young girls into prostitutes and attempted murder.
At the beginning of Tuesday's Moreno Valley Unified School District's school board meeting, school board member Mike Luis Rios, 41, was not present. But after a short break, he appeared, but did not stay for long.
"He felt it was a disruption, so he has left for the evening. So moving on…" a board member said, interrupted by applause.
Rios, who has vowed not to resign from his post on the school board, was recently arrested and charged with rape, pimping and pandering -- a total of 11 felony counts.
In a separate case, Rios faces an attempted murder charge after shooting two men, who followed him home after a dispute at a local bar. Rios has said that he was only defending his family.
Some parents attending the meeting said that they believed that it was time for Rios to step down.
"Wanted to look at a guy who really thought that he was innocent and being blamed for something that nobody else would make up," said Karanja Anderson, who added that he was not surprised that Rios showed up for the meeting.
"I was surprised that he left," Anderson said.
During the time that Rios was there, he kept his eyes down, only looking up once or twice.
Rios has claimed that he was being framed in order to prevent him from being elected to city council.
He had supporters at the meeting as well.
"Where is his accusers? Or where's the proof? I don't see anything," said parent Deborah Jaquay.
Rios was free on $250,000 bail and had agreed to wear an ankle bracelet.
» RELATED STORY: Moreno Valley School Board Member Charged With Rape, Pimping, Attempted Murder
