ORLANDO – Jeff Ashton, the prosecutor who handled the Casey Anthony case and who is now a judge in Orange and Osceola counties, is a subject of allegations related to child abuse, according to an executive order signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, News4JAX’s sister station WKMG reported on Friday.
The executive order, posted publicly on the governor’s website on Oct. 11, was issued because State Attorney Andrew Bain, who works with Ashton in the Ninth Judicial Circuit, had voluntarily disqualified himself from the matter and asked it to be reassigned.
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The order says allegations have been made against Ashton for lewd and lascivious molestation on a child under 16 and failure to report child abuse.
It is unclear at this time whether there is a formal investigation. WKMG contacted several law enforcement agencies to see if any were investigating. So far, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said it is not. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office also said it is not involved in any investigation.
Ashton is currently a civil judge for the Ninth Judicial Circuit, which handles Orange and Osceola counties. He’s been on the bench since 2019.
As of Friday afternoon, Ashton was still presiding over cases. WKMG saw Ashton preside over a public virtual hearing.
Before his time on the bench, he served a four-year term as Orange-Osceola state attorney, but he was beaten in the 2016 election by Aramis Ayala.
Ashton also had a 30-year career as a state prosecutor for the Ninth Circuit, which included handling the 2011 Casey Anthony murder trial for the state. Anthony was found not guilty.
With Bain voluntarily disqualifying himself, DeSantis has appointed State Attorney Brian Haas to handle the matter. Haas is the top prosecutor for the 10th Judicial Circuit, which presides over Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties.
A spokesperson for the Ninth Judicial Circuit issued this statement Friday:
“This case has been assigned to the Tenth Judicial Circuit of Florida and any questions should be directed to their office.”