El Monte city manager caught in Pomona prostitution sting [Updated]
El Monte’s city manager was among 30 people arrested in a prostitution sting in Pomona, officials from both cities said today.
“I talked to him this morning,” Barrios said. “He just mentioned he had a problem.”
[Updated at 2:07 p.m.: City Councilwoman Emily Ishigaki said she believes Mussenden will resign, and the council will appoint an interim city manager.
"This has just been a mind-boggling situation," said Ishigaki, who spent time with Mussenden at a government meeting on Thursday before the arrest. "I'm stunned. I just can't believe this. I never expected this, never, never, never."]
A message left for Mussenden at his home was not returned. According to his biography on the city of El Monte’s website, the married grandfather has worked for the city for 26 years and is active in the El Monte Kiwanis Club and the Boys & Girls Club of the San Gabriel Valley.
The Thursday night sting occurred on Holt Avenue, a major thoroughfare in Pomona that has drawn complaints for being a meeting place for people looking to trade sex for money, said Lt. Alex Rilloraza of the Pomona Police Department. Undercover officers from the vice squad posed as streetwalkers and johns.
A total of 30 men and women were taken into custody between 6 p.m. and midnight, he said. The women arrested for prostitution were taken to the city jail. The men arrested for soliciting were issued citations and released, unless they had other charges pending, Rilloraza said.
-- Seema Mehta
Photo: El Monte City Manager James Mussenden. Credit: City of El Monte website.
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30 people arrested in prostitution sting in Pomona
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EDITOR'S PICKS:
First the El Monte police department fails to arrest a boy for bringing two guns to school, then another police officer is sexual harrassed and now this? I see safety is an issue (and compromised) in El Monte. Enter at your own risk.
Posted by: WB | October 16, 2009 at 02:21 PM
???
"A total of 30 men and women were taken into custody between 6 p.m. and midnight, he said. The women arrested for prostitution were taken to the city jail. The men arrested for soliciting were issued citations and released, unless they had other charges pending, Rilloraza said."
Chicks go to jail, the johns walk? No johns, no chicks. Put the johns in the slammer too and have their wives bail them out.
Posted by: Bob | October 16, 2009 at 02:28 PM
Why is prostution illegal anyway? Men pay for sex, whether it's porn, dates, or it's marriage.
Legalize it and regulate it like they do in Nevada.
Posted by: Revgen | October 16, 2009 at 02:33 PM
His wife should put out.
Posted by: Brian Hodges | October 16, 2009 at 02:48 PM
Where am I?
Posted by: Mark | October 16, 2009 at 02:49 PM
Better yet, leave them all alone.
Posted by: John42 | October 16, 2009 at 02:52 PM
James Mussenden has been doing this for a while, I've seen him.. He just got caught. Actually hahahaha
Posted by: tony | October 16, 2009 at 02:59 PM
" O-Oh, the woman I just hit on is a police officer. Boy, oh, boy..."
Posted by: Toni | October 16, 2009 at 02:59 PM
That's BS...the solicitors are cited and released while the prostitutes are put in jail???!!! They both should be equally prosecuted because it is a crime done together. A prostitued is not a prostitute with out clients. One can not prostitute alone like stealing a car, robbing a person, or jaywalking.
According to our laws, prostitutes illegally put their body on sale. Their clients illegally rent the prostitute's body. Both are participating in a mutually beneficial crime.
But I'm sure it has to do with our cultural views of women and their purity that makes their prostitution more of a crime because women aren't supposed to act like whores.
Men, on the other hand, have a base instinct to need sex, and therefore these particular men were just participating in a sexual hunter/gatherer exploit to satisfy themselves.
I guess it's less of a crime, more acceptable, when it goes with their nature.
Posted by: DRE DAWG | October 16, 2009 at 03:05 PM
The women were taken to jail and the men were sent home? Huh? What year is this, 1950?
Posted by: io | October 16, 2009 at 03:12 PM
another city official. does not live where he works.
and just make it legal. give us, ugly, fat, old guys a break.
Posted by: jesse | October 16, 2009 at 03:13 PM
Well I am glad to see the reverse sting still works. True dummies will get stung. I am also glad to see this municipality Pomona, has the resources to run this type of sting operation in such financially hard times.
Considering Pomona's areas of increase in crime I tracked in the blog statistics. I did not see prostitution making this list.
But good for Pomona! Taking a big bite, out of crime of this type. I hope they got a lot of BANG for their bucks of investment of officer’s time use in this operation. I really feel sorry for Mr.James Mussenden he made a mistake in judgement but in politics it is: To err is human to forgive unthinkable. I hope the City of El Monte does not dog pile this guy.
Posted by: Julian B Duron | October 16, 2009 at 03:15 PM
Everytime I read of the police wasting their time busting people for prostitution it makes me angry. Really, what business is it of the government what two adults want to do in privacy? It harms no one and by making it illegal it creates opportunities for human smuggling.
I will concede that street prostitution can be troubling for those who live near those areas, however, I live in a very nice part of L.A. that used to have a problem on one of the major streets that cut near my house and we just made it a point to not walk on that street. It never bothered me seeing the women walk down the street getting picked up because what they did they did in the privacy of their cars or motels.
Live and let live on this issue. It's a stupid law. If there were a camera involved they couldn't prosecute because its protected by the constitution (i.e. the reason people who are paid for sex in porn are not busted). Does this make any sense to you?
Now this man has to suffer the loss of his income and for what? Just because he didn't buy her dinner first or bring a camera and say he was making a porn film? Come on. Get real. He did nothing wrong and you know it..even you judgmental people who think they are perfect.
Posted by: steve | October 16, 2009 at 03:27 PM
Hello! This guy got caught but how many more are out there that dont get caught. This guy got caught in another city's jurisdiction..
I"m pretty sure if he would of been seen in El Monte. This would of just been brushed underneath the carpet...
Posted by: Bad Planning | October 16, 2009 at 03:28 PM
Why are these people having their lives ruined over an exchange between two consenting adults?
Posted by: Josh | October 16, 2009 at 03:30 PM
Ha, ha,...he has a problem alright, and El Monte has a job opening.
Posted by: BlazinBob | October 16, 2009 at 04:02 PM
2009 -- and we are still arresting people for "crimes" like this? Lives ruined, brutal violations of their intimacy... Come on, these are consenting adults. People, no matter how respectable they may be, and no matter what official position they may hold, do have sexual impulses and desires. I agree that those women should not be carrying out their trade in the side walks, as they become a nuisance. But that's all I see to it. What this guy did amounts to skipping a red light, no more than that. He should not resign (or be made to resign) his position because of this.
Posted by: JB | October 16, 2009 at 04:12 PM
South Park recently showed the documentary for the El Monte sting.
$60 for half and half
Pimps must of had their bottom b***h on the stroll.
P.S
I believe this service should be legal. Watch Cathouse on HBO.
Posted by: Devils Advocate | October 16, 2009 at 04:28 PM
In situations like this, why doesn't the spotlight ever get pointed at the wife, who probably always has a headache. He did wrong, but men are men, not women or robots.
Posted by: mikey | October 16, 2009 at 04:40 PM
James Mussenden I got a querstion for youse (sic & sic). Was she cute...and how many other roaches you got to hide...cause there is neverjust one bro... And you and I KNOW that.
Posted by: Boils | October 16, 2009 at 04:49 PM
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Posted by: Turd Ferguson | October 16, 2009 at 04:53 PM
Most deviants have some legitimatizing 'cover.' The Socially Prominent, work very hard to appear 'respectable.' Politicians, are especially reprehensible, for both their Social Prominence and their highly deviant behavior. Something 'newsworthy' here?
Posted by: Robert NO longer in LA | October 16, 2009 at 05:46 PM
Reverse the process! Hold the Johns until a morning bail hearing! With LATimes coverage!
If we are serious about this (and we might not be) reduce demand through an increased cost of (let's call it) engaging in market activity.
Dick
Posted by: Tampa Dick | October 16, 2009 at 05:48 PM
We are just to moral, you see? nod, nod, wink, wink..................
Posted by: Jesse | October 16, 2009 at 07:35 PM
He was just out looking for that helium balloon from Colorado when the cops jumped him!
Posted by: CFM | October 16, 2009 at 10:41 PM