Prosecutors Decide Not to Charge Legislator

No charges will be filed against a Clovis assemblyman suspected of trying to solicit a prostitute because of insufficient evidence, the city attorney’s office said Thursday.

Fresno police recommended that Steve Samuelian be charged with loitering for the purpose of soliciting an act of prostitution after stopping him in a state-leased vehicle on Feb. 1.

Samuelian allegedly was following a woman in an area known for street prostitution.

Officers released the Republican legislator after he said he got lost trying to drop off a flier at the Fresno County Farm Bureau about 9:45 p.m.

Upon further investigation, police recommended that Samuelian be cited after discovering that he was cited in September 1998 for allegedly asking an undercover officer for oral sex in the same area he was seen Feb. 1.

Fresno City Atty. Hilda Cantu Montoy said her office “carefully and thoroughly considered all the evidence that would be considered at trial and determined the evidence does not support the likelihood of conviction.”

Samuelian did not return a call seeking comment.

Samuelian, who received the 1998 citation four months after his wedding, paid a $500 fine and completed a one-day diversion program that removed the citation from his record.

Last week, several Central Valley Republicans asked Samuelian to resign over his alleged behavior, which Rep. George Radanovich of Mariposa wrote in a letter was “reprehensible and established a pattern of behavior that is unbecoming of an elected official.”