A young woman from Rochester is calling for Monroe County Legislator Ernest Flagler-Mitchell to resign from his position. 

LaKaya Sinclair says the legislator sent her an unsolicited lewd photo over social media.

The Legislative Majority leader says the serious allegation is being reviewed by the Board of Ethics and by law enforcement.  

In her first television interview, LaKaya Sinclair spoke with Spectrum's Wendy Wright.

What You Need To Know

  • Rochester woman calls for Monroe County Legislator Ernest Flagler-Mitchell to resign over alleged unsolicited lude photo

  • Ernest Flagler-Mitchell alleges he's the target of bribery and extortion

  • Monroe County Legislature President states the allegation has been reported to the Board of Ethics and law enforcement

"He asked me what I think, do I like it," said Sinclair, as she scrolled through her Messenger app on her phone.

She describes communication she says took place back in November.

"You chose to be a public official, you chose to be in the public eye, you can't be acting like this," Sinclair said of Flagler-Mitchell.

Sinclair says the unwanted photo followed other previous Facebook Messenger conversations between the two.

"It would start with like, 'hey whatcha doing? How you doing?' Two, three o'clock in the morning. He'd slide up on my story, like hearts or heart eyes," said Sinclair.

Sinclair just turned 20 years old. This isn't the first time she's been in the news. She is still struggling with a tragedy that occurred at her family's home in September, a mass shooting.

A total of 16 people were shot, two fatally, during a party Sinclair was hosting on Pennsylvania Avenue.

"I would try to express how it was a hard time for me after the tragedy. Me not feeling comfortable at home," says Sinclair.  

She first met Flagler-Mitchell after the mass shooting. She says that he and other members of the community offered their cards and said to please reach out if she ever needed anything.

Flagler-Mitchell issued a news release on January 16, stating, "I sent a picture intended for my wife to an individual I was working with." But Sinclair says, "I never have worked with Mr. Ernest, ever."

Although, Sinclair says she did reach out to Flagler-Mitchell for work, she is a budding photographer, and that Flagler-Mitchell mentioned a project.

Reading screenshots, Sinclair said, "I may have a project for you, right, sounds good, what is it...want to see, yes, again, I still think it's this project he brought to my attention."

That's when Sinclair says Flagler-Mitchell sent the explicit photo. She says he apologized, but she is not buying that it was a mistake.

"After that, I thought it was inappropriate. I just didn't respond to it and then he double texted me, 'what you doing.' So to say it was a mistake and you're initiating this even more," she said.

Flagler-Mitchell is alleging this is a case of blackmail and extortion, stating, "I have been contacted both directly and indirectly by politically connected individuals who have tried to use this mistake as a form of blackmail to force me into abandoning the Black and Asian Caucus in the Legislature...I have consulted legal counsel and we're asking law enforcement to investigate this extortion."  

He is not commenting on camera. A spokesperson for County Legislature President Dr. Joe Carbone, says, "Any allegations of harassment should be taken seriously and thoroughly reviewed. The allegation has been aptly reported to the Board of Ethics and law enforcement. It would be premature and inappropriate for the Legislature or any Legislator to comment further at this time."

"I felt like it was definitely an abuse of power. It was him coming forward with the story at first and it made me feel scared all over again to even pursue this," said Sinclair.

She still lives with guilt over the mass shooting at her party and says she even feels guilty coming forward now.

"I hate that a part of me feels bad for him, even coming forward with my story," said Sinclair. "I feel like I'm attacking a Black brother that's made it to the county legislature and I'm just taking his seat away from him."

Despite that, Sinclair is calling for Ernest Flagler-Mitchell to resign from his position as a Monroe County Legislator.