Lorain/Elyria, OH
Lorain councilman Flores busted in sex sting
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LORAIN — A drunken city councilman on the prowl was caught Friday night in a prostitution sting, Lorain police said.
Dennis Flores, D-2nd Ward, was charged with solicitation and DUI at 11:27 p.m., after driving up to a decoy prostitute near the corner of Reid Avenue and 18th Street; he was charged by Lorain and Elyria police, a report said.
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The 54-year-old councilman, who defeated Brian Hazelett in November 2007 to win his seat, is chairman of the city’s Finance and Claims Committee and vice-chair of the Police and Fire Committee.
Police said he had condoms in his car and alcohol on his breath. Flores’ car was towed, and he was taken to the city jail.
“He is so sorry for what he did. He’s promised to seek help,” Council President Anne Molnar said. “He said he knows he did wrong.”
Molnar said she spent about 30 minutes on the phone with Flores after his arrest. She said he’s been depressed over a break-up with a girlfriend for about two months.
“We’re all human. Dennis is basically a very good person. He would give the shirt off his back to you,” Molnar said. “We should help him. You don’t kick a man while he’s down.”
She said there’s no rule on the books saying a council member charged with a misdemeanor must be censured or forced to resign.
But if Flores is convicted of solicitation, there could be tremendous political pressure for him to give up his seat, Lorain Democratic Party Chair Tony Giardini said.
“Nobody is perfect, and everybody has issues, but when you’re a public official — like it or not — you’re going to be held to a higher standard,” Giardini said. “You can’t have councilpeople behaving that way.”
He said the arrest could also cause constituents to lose faith in Flores’ ability to make moral decisions.
Even though it’s a misdemeanor, from the public’s perspective it’s much more serious, he said.
Ohioans are very sensitive about the conduct of elected officials since the resignation of former state Rep. Matthew Barrett and former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann, Giardini said.
Mayor Tony Krasienko agreed, worrying that Flores’ arrest is one more blow to the city’s credibility.
This year alone, there have been probes into the conduct of Chief Building Official Bill Desvari and Lorain police officers Stanley Marrero, Corey Earl, Jack Brown, Thomas Toothman and Jesus Sanchez.
“I have the same mindset as Governor Strickland took with the attorney general. Once the public trust is eroded, it’s too hard to replace that,” Krasienko said. “Hopefully, Councilman Flores will make the right decision about what to do now. It’s unfortunate because this is going to overshadow the good he’s done in the community.”
So far, Giardini and Krasienko said, nobody is calling for Flores to resign. Flores did not return calls to his home Saturday seeking comment.
Flores was not the only one charged Friday in the prostitution sting. Also facing solicitation charges are Javier Hernandez, Milan Komadina, Justin Hoag and Frank Delmonico, all of Lorain, and David Gunter of Sheffield Lake.
In a prepared statement, Lorain Police Chief Cel Rivera said prostitution is often thought of as a “victimless crime,” but the reality is that many prostitutes end up the victims of violent physical crimes.
The johns who hire them often become victims of theft and armed robberies, he said.
To report prostitution or other vice crimes, call the Lorain police narcotics division at 204-2108.
Contact Jason Hawk at 329-7148 or jhawk@chroniclet.com.
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How is DUI and solicitaion of a prostitute a misdemeanor ? I don’t believe in kicking a person when they are down either, but let’s face it, we can’t really kick those that are 6 foot under due to a drunk driver, and prostitution is illegal *otherwise there wouldn’t have been a sting in the first place*.. right ??? No, this man is NOT who we should have in office. He is out promoting the very things he is elected to help stop, so JOE but you gotta GO, in my opinion.
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I agree justsaying. “Sorry, Joe but you gotta GO.” This is a blow to the Lorain community and if it is not going to be tolerate at the state level, which had nothing to do with prostitution, what makes you think it’s going to be tolerated at the city level.
I say, “Mayor Krasienko, it’s time to clean house.”
I hope come elections I remember Ann Molnar because her response to this is ridiculous. “You don’t kick a man while he is down,” “He is really sorry for what he did,” or for getting caught “depressed over the break-up with a girlfriend,” Oh, and my favorite, “He would give the shirt off his back to you” Wow! That I believe.
Yes, I too am surprised that prostitution is only a misdemeanor.
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Gotta love our city government
Ann Molnar’s comments on colleague Flores’ arrest for Solicitation and Driving Under the Influence, “If it was a felony it would be a different story.†You see Ann, and all the rest of you elected officials, as your employer, I would fire you for such action and any of your colleagues that would come to your defense! The hypocrisy of Lorain’s civil servants is mind boggling. I’ll even venture to say that the self-serving political activist attorney of the Democratic Party cannot fix this one. If Flores’ were a Republican they would be seeking his head on a silver platter. But I can’t just blame Molnar on this thoughtless comment made from her position as councilwoman. Some of the fault is with our stakeholders, the voting public, who blindly make their way to the poles every election and vote on name recognition. I am a lifelong Democrat who is slowly moving to the land of the Independent. I can no longer tolerate the corruptness that seems to spew from lifelong government officials who practice the old adage, “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours†that has manifested itself in Lorain’s political arena. As your employer, I am watching what you do and who you do it with. These backroom discussions with political “friends†that results in personal gain will manifest themselves over time. Remember, you really don’t know the man or women sitting next to you as well as you think you do. Mr. Flores is a perfect example of that. My parting thoughts to Lorain’s elected officials, beware of your friends for they may foster a higher allegiance!
William D. Gonzalez
Lorain, Ohio
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Councilman Flores received more votes to win the Democratic Party nod in the May Primary and beat Keith Jones in the November election.
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It seems like the officials in Lorain have rules for themselves and then the rules that everyone else has to jump to. This guy broke the law and he should be subjected to the full force of it because he is held to a higher standard, and no matter what the judge gives him, he should be forced o resign.
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I’d like to see the councilman get away with the charge of soliciting, for reasons of entrapment, if the decoy is as good looking as they usually are.
It should be the law that the appearance standard of the decoys should be similar to the average appearance of the nasty looking, scab encrusted skanks who usually hang out on the streets.
OK, the councilman is probably guilty of drunk driving. But maybe he was headed home to his wife, saw the decoy and thought, “I’m never gonna get a woman that good looking for the rest of my life, if I don’t stop this car right now!”
Granted, that’s some drunken logic, but fair is fair after all.
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Wow. Betcha he doesn’t get forced to resign, which he should. What in the heck is going on with these politicians and their sex issues? Geez!!
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I have the misfortune of having this dirtbag representing my ward and want him out TODAY! Vice chairman of the Police and Fire Committee? The statements of Anne Molnar warrant her also being removed at once. I can’t believe the gall of her to say he deserves another chance! This city is a HUGE mess and somebody better step up to the plate now!. Mayo Krasienko??? City Council??
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Flores, NICE MUG SHOT! Couldn’t you smiled a little more. You look like you are very proud of what you did!!
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Does it really matter? Look at Zack Reed in Clevenald?
Mr. Flores may be embarrassed for awhile while he goes through the court thing, but it will just disappear when the next “scandel†pops out. Many of the politicians may make it look like they are holding the “moral compass†on one of their own, they may not want to hold that compass too tight because it may point back to them.
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Easy to tell who the Republicans are here…
…why is it that the mention of heterosexual sex drives ‘em into a frothing rage?
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iy was really amale prostitute taped and tucked haha sicko
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Johnbear said it the best on both comments. When a city official goes out to blatantly break the law, they should be gone. Molnar said Flores is seeking treatment. For what?? Is he going to claim sex addictoin and be excused? Molnar should be out the door with him. What a poor representation she is also. Lorain is in sad shape taking all of it’s daprments into consideration….. clean out the police, clean out city council and the rest of the administration who can’t follow the rules.
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In the news last night they did a piece on Flores and it does not appear that he is going to step down quietely. He also stated that it was a lapse in judegement. Are we to believe that this was his first time…give me a break! First time getting caught maybe. He stated that people in his ward want him to stay on. He is probably referring to a few friends of his because I can’t believe that people in his ward would want him to represent them. I could not believe when he won in the first place. Anybody ever talk to this guy? Definately no rocket scientist here. If he stays on, this would be another black eye for Lorain, especially after all of the news coverage.
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I can’t believe this city will sit back and let this man serve as a city council member. And the comments by Ms. Molnar. I know we all make mistakes but when you are in public office and you make this kind of “mistake” you need to leave.
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whats the hold up.. get rid of this guy..
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