Whitehall City Councilmember Gerald Dixon was sworn into a new term on council on Tuesday, mere hours after he was released from jail on charges he sexually abused children over several decades.
Dixon made the surprise appearance at the swearing in ceremony and was immediately surrounded by reporters while he sat in his designated seat. Dixon told news media before the meeting he won't resign and he won't comment on the allegations against him.
"The people elected me, and I have not been brought before a jury of my peers or whatever else it is, so here I am," Dixon said.
Dixon said he was tired and exhausted, asking, "Have you ever spent a night in jail?"
"Nor have I until last night," Dixon said.
Earlier Tuesday, Whitehall Police Chief Mike Crispen held a press conference announcing the arrest and the charges against Dixon. He said the arrest happened after a multi-year investigation that recently involved the FBI.
Crispen alleged Dixon's actions span back to 1996. He said Dixon solicited prostitution from a minor and groomed at least eight victims mentally and physically for sexual exploitation.
The charges in court only relate to one victim.
Dixon said he doesn't know who the alleged victims who came forward are or whether he believes they are lying. All the victims were juvenile males.
Franklin County Municipal Court Judge Eileen Paley released Dixon on his own recognizance, without a cash bond, during a hearing Tuesday. Dixon is ordered to stay away from minors as one of the conditions of his release.
Paley, a former Columbus City Councilmember, cited Dixon's elected position as a reason to release him.
Whitehall City Council President Thomas Potter told WOSU he wasn't surprised Dixon showed up and never believed he wouldn't. Earlier in the day, Potter told reporters Dixon would be sworn in if he showed up.
Potter said they are still looking at city code to determine ways Dixon could be removed. He said he would support citizen efforts to put anything on the ballot, including an effort to remove Dixon.
"It's just way too early to process... there's a lot more to learn," Potter said.
Under city code, one of the seven city councilmembers can be expelled by a vote from every other council member under certain circumstances. This includes "gross misconduct, malfeasance in office, conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude, judicial declaration of incompetency, willful violation of this Charter, persistent failure to abide by the rules of the Council, or the unexcused absence from all Council meetings held during ninety consecutive days or from one-fourth of the regular meetings held during the calendar year."
Whitehall City Attorney Brad Nicodemus told WOSU the best definition of "gross misconduct" he's found so far is "misconduct that shocks the conscience."
Nicodemus wouldn't say if he recommended council take this action or if this met the threshold legally.
Dixon was asked about the evidence police presented at a Tuesday morning press conference. One piece of evidence was a poster Crispen said was found in Dixon's home in an office Crispen claimed the victims said they were taken into.
The poster had photos of young boys on it with derogatory words for gay people over them like "fairy," "buggerer," "sodomite," "fruit," and "****sucker."
Dixon said he was appalled by police finding evidence including sexual images of young children. He said the poster has nothing to do with children and was "artwork" about being gay and the names people call gay children.
Dixon said the photos were of "friends and people who volunteered for the art piece."
"I'm also an artist," Dixon said.
Dixon was asked whether the charges against him were a political backlash. He acknowledged that he's been a vocal critic of Whitehall Mayor Michael Bivens and was the only councilmember to side with the Fraternal Order of Police's grievances against the Whitehall Police Department.
Dixon brought forward an ordinance to investigate the Whitehall Police Department's public fight with the FOP, but it didn't move forward.
"I can't say, but a lot of people have their feelings," Dixon said.
Bivens walked past a WOSU reporter without taking any questions. He spoke Tuesday morning about the charges against Dixon, calling on Dixon to resign.
