A report from the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office says Monroe County Legislator Ernest Flagler-Mitchell sent sexually-explicit photos and videos to several women, and also paid a woman for sex. He also paid bills for other women with whom he had sexual relations.
The report was compiled by the DA’s office when it thought Flagler-Mitchell might be criminally charged after a young woman complained Flagler-Mitchell had texted her a photo of his genitals. That triggered both an ethics investigation, which concluded the legislator had violated county ethics rules, and a criminal probe, which found he had not committed a crime.
But the DA’s report questioned 11 other women, most of whom refused to press charges, and concludes a “disturbing pattern” exists in Flagler-Mitchell’s conduct.
One woman with whom Flagler-Mitchell had a consensual sexual relationship says he paid her phone bill and gave her money to help with her bills. Another woman said Flagler-Mitchell paid her for sex.
The investigation began when 19-year-old Lakaya Sinclair said Flagler-Mitchell texted her a photo of his genitals after befriending her. Flagler-Mitchell said he was also texting with his wife at the time and sent Sinclair a photo he meant for his wife. But investigators said he did much the same to at least eight of the women they interviewed.
On Tuesday night, the Republican majority on the county legislature rejected a Democratic Caucus resolution to censure Democrat Flagler-Mitchell by a 20-7 vote.