State housing administrator demoted after prostitution arrest

By Cy Ryan

Tuesday, June 4, 2013 | 11:05 a.m.

The director of the state Housing Division, caught in a prostitution sting in Reno, will be suffering a $10,000 loss in salary.

James deProsse, 57, was cited April 26 for “soliciting for sexual acts in exchange for money” from an undercover female police officer. Six other men were also cited.

Bruce Breslow, director of the state Department of Business and Industry, said Tuesday that deProsse will return to his former job as administrator of the Manufactured Housing Division.

The housing administrator will earn $97,901, while deProsse will make $87,773 as the top of the manufactured housing division.

Breslow said he conducted a personnel investigation and confirmed the citation issued deProsse was dismissed by a judge. The Reno City Attorney’s Office said it decided not to pursue the case since this was deProsse’s first offense and he sought and successfully completed counseling. The citation is equal to a misdemeanor.

DeProsse has not replied to telephone calls for comment.

He was appointed earlier this year by Breslow to head the housing division replacing Charles Horsey who retired.

Breslow said there was an unsuccessful effort in the Legislature to combine both the manufactured housing division with the housing division. In the period before April 29, deProsse continued as acting administrator of the manufactured housing division in addition to his duties at head of the housing division.

Breslow said he was now returning deProsse to the manufactured housing division, “which he successfully ran for three years.”

Since the citation, deProsse has been on administrative leave with pay.

Shannon Chambers, who is deputy director to Breslow, will be acting housing division administrator until a permanent replacement is found.