Mike Rios, 42 (Riverside County Sheriff's Dept.) |
MORENO VALLEY, Calif. (KTLA) -- A Moreno Valley School Board member facing multiple felony charges, including attempted murder and pimping, will be required to stand trial, two judges ruled Tuesday.
Judge Christian Thierbach ordered Mike Rios, 42, to stand trial on two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter and one count of attempting to bribe a witness. Rios was originally charged with attempted murder and attempting to dissuade a witness before Thierbach downgraded the charges.
In a separate case, Judge Edward Webster ordered Rios to stand trial on 11 felonies including rape, pimping and pandering involving six alleged victims, including two underage girls.
Rios is scheduled to be arraigned on information in both cases on Aug. 28.
Rios pleaded not guilty in April after being arrested on suspicion of rape, pimping and pandering.
He was already facing attempted murder charges for allegedly trying to kill two men in February in what he claims was self-defense.
Rios has maintained that he is innocent and is being framed by corrupt city leaders who he has threatened to expose.
"There's a certain developer in our city who basically has most of the council bought and paid for in our city," Rios told KTLA in an exclusive interview. "Those who are in power will tell the sheriffs what to do."
Rios says the trouble with the law began when he ran for the Moreno Valley School Board. He came in first place and said he started fighting for change.
"This is what they don't like, because I do it publicly, I do it on camera and I let the people know what's happening in our city," Rios said.
In February, Rios says he was followed by two men to his home, who pointed a gun at him.
After calling 911, Rios says he fired his gun in self-defense. He was later arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Rios resisted pressure to resign from the school board at that time.
Then, two months later, he was arrested again -- this time on suspicion of raping two women, pimping and using his position on the school board to recruit prostitutes.
"When the truth comes out, people will know that I'm innocent, because I am," Rios insisted.
Since his arrests, he pulled papers to run for Moreno Valley City Council in District 1, but told reporters Friday that he dropped his plans to run for council.
Rios was elected to the city's school board in 2010.
The board passed a resolution requesting his resignation, but Rios has remained steadfast in his refusal to step down.
The Moreno Valley Democratic Club has been collecting signatures for months to recall Rios. They need to collect 10,000 signatures by mid-October.
Member Ruthee Golkorn told KTLA that the best thing would be for Rios to step down from the school board immediately.
"It is definitely a black eye on the city," Goldkorn said. "Parents have said they're not enrolling their children, pulling their children -- it's econ 101."
Rios is currently free on $500,000 bail. He was ordered not to have contact with children as a condition of his release.
However, a judge modified that order so that Rios could attend school board meetings, even though children might be present.
The school board says Rios will not attend the student demonstration portion of meetings, and that a uniformed police officer will be present at all meetings.
Judge Christian Thierbach ordered Mike Rios, 42, to stand trial on two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter and one count of attempting to bribe a witness. Rios was originally charged with attempted murder and attempting to dissuade a witness before Thierbach downgraded the charges.
In a separate case, Judge Edward Webster ordered Rios to stand trial on 11 felonies including rape, pimping and pandering involving six alleged victims, including two underage girls.
Rios is scheduled to be arraigned on information in both cases on Aug. 28.
Rios pleaded not guilty in April after being arrested on suspicion of rape, pimping and pandering.
He was already facing attempted murder charges for allegedly trying to kill two men in February in what he claims was self-defense.
Rios has maintained that he is innocent and is being framed by corrupt city leaders who he has threatened to expose.
"There's a certain developer in our city who basically has most of the council bought and paid for in our city," Rios told KTLA in an exclusive interview. "Those who are in power will tell the sheriffs what to do."
Rios says the trouble with the law began when he ran for the Moreno Valley School Board. He came in first place and said he started fighting for change.
"This is what they don't like, because I do it publicly, I do it on camera and I let the people know what's happening in our city," Rios said.
In February, Rios says he was followed by two men to his home, who pointed a gun at him.
After calling 911, Rios says he fired his gun in self-defense. He was later arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Rios resisted pressure to resign from the school board at that time.
Then, two months later, he was arrested again -- this time on suspicion of raping two women, pimping and using his position on the school board to recruit prostitutes.
"When the truth comes out, people will know that I'm innocent, because I am," Rios insisted.
Since his arrests, he pulled papers to run for Moreno Valley City Council in District 1, but told reporters Friday that he dropped his plans to run for council.
Rios was elected to the city's school board in 2010.
The board passed a resolution requesting his resignation, but Rios has remained steadfast in his refusal to step down.
The Moreno Valley Democratic Club has been collecting signatures for months to recall Rios. They need to collect 10,000 signatures by mid-October.
Member Ruthee Golkorn told KTLA that the best thing would be for Rios to step down from the school board immediately.
"It is definitely a black eye on the city," Goldkorn said. "Parents have said they're not enrolling their children, pulling their children -- it's econ 101."
Rios is currently free on $500,000 bail. He was ordered not to have contact with children as a condition of his release.
However, a judge modified that order so that Rios could attend school board meetings, even though children might be present.
The school board says Rios will not attend the student demonstration portion of meetings, and that a uniformed police officer will be present at all meetings.
