Florida judge who was lead prosecutor in Casey Anthony case faces child abuse allegations

Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY
Updated ·2 min read
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In this July 4, 2011, file photo, lead prosecutor Jeff Ashton is shown giving the the final rebuttal in the Casey Anthony murder trial at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Florida.
In this July 4, 2011, file photo, lead prosecutor Jeff Ashton is shown giving the the final rebuttal in the Casey Anthony murder trial at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Florida.
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A Florida judge who was the lead prosecutor in the high-profile Casey Anthony trial has been accused of child abuse, according to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Judge Jeffrey Ashton of the 9th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, which includes Orlando, is facing allegations of "lewd and lascivious molestation on a child under 16" and failure to report child abuse, according to an executive order by DeSantis issued on Oct. 11.

State Attorney Andrew Bain notified DeSantis of the allegations, according to the executive order, which reassigned the investigation and potential prosecution to the 10th Circuit State Attorney's Office to avoid a conflict of interest. Bain was appointed as state attorney in August after DeSantis ousted Democrat Monique Worrell.

The Winter Park Police Department confirmed they are investigating the allegations on Monday but declined to comment further. USA TODAY could find no record of criminal charges being filed against Ashton.

Ashton's office directed questions to his attorney, Warren Lindsey, who has not returned multiple messages seeking comment.

Where does Andrew Bain say the allegations stem from?

Former judge Andrew Bain was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis as the state attorney representing Orange and Osceola Counties after DeSantis announced the suspension of State Attorney Monique Worrell during a press conference on Aug. 9, 2023.
Former judge Andrew Bain was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis as the state attorney representing Orange and Osceola Counties after DeSantis announced the suspension of State Attorney Monique Worrell during a press conference on Aug. 9, 2023.

A representative from Bain's office declined to elaborate on the allegations or how Bain became aware of them, saying that criminal cases originate with law enforcement. Bain's office directed all questions to the 10th Judicial Circuit, which has not responded to requests for comment.

The 10th Circuit State Attorney's Office confirmed that they have been assigned to the matter.

"As we begin our work in this matter, we will review all available evidence and applicable laws to determine whether charges should be filed," the office said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY on Tuesday.

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Who is Florida Judge Jeffrey Ashton?

Defense attorney Dorothy Clay Sims, in gray jacket, hugs her client Casey Anthony, along with the rest of the defense team after Anthony was acquitted of murder charges at the Orange County Courthouse on July 5, 2011 in Orlando, Florida. Judge Jeffrey Ashton was the lead prosecutor on the case at the time.
Defense attorney Dorothy Clay Sims, in gray jacket, hugs her client Casey Anthony, along with the rest of the defense team after Anthony was acquitted of murder charges at the Orange County Courthouse on July 5, 2011 in Orlando, Florida. Judge Jeffrey Ashton was the lead prosecutor on the case at the time.

Ashton is a former state attorney. He was elected in 2012 but lost his seat in 2016, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

He came into office after making a name for himself as a lead prosecutor in the 2011 Casey Anthony trial. Anthony had been accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee in 2008 and was found not guilty of murder, manslaughter and child abuse.

While in office as state attorney, he was embroiled in controversy for frequenting Ashley Madison, a website primarily used by married people looking to have a discreet affair, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

He was elected to the judicial bench in 2018, serving on domestic violence cases from 2019-2020 before his current assignment on civil cases.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida Judge Jeffrey Ashton faces child abuse allegations