Jacksonville Building Inspector Manager Resigned Amid Harassment Investigation as Wife Campaigns for Duval County Judge

Vernon Shelton, the husband of Duval County judicial candidate LaToya Williams Shelton, resigned from his position as a building inspector manager for the City of Jacksonville in April following workplace sexual harassment complaints. The resignation occurred as his wife campaigns for a six-year term as a Duval County Court Judge in Group One.

According to city records, two women filed workplace complaints against Vernon Shelton shortly before his resignation. One woman alleged he kissed her on the neck, while another accused him of making inappropriate comments about her clothing. This is the second time Vernon Shelton has faced allegations of sexual misconduct. In 2018, while working as a Volusia County math teacher, he was accused of inappropriately touching a 17-year-old student. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office closed that criminal investigation after the student and her mother declined to pursue the case.

Records show LaToya Williams Shelton represented her husband in a subsequent settlement agreement with the Florida Department of Education and notarized the document. Florida law prohibits notaries from notarizing a spouse's signature, though the statute does not outline criminal penalties. Under the terms of that education settlement, Vernon Shelton received a formal reprimand, was placed on probation for two years, fined $750, and ordered to complete a sexual harassment course.

In a statement, LaToya Williams Shelton did not address the notarization of the settlement but defended her campaign, stating that the allegations against her husband "don't just distract from the real issues, they discourage good people from running for public office." Her campaign website continues to highlight family as the foundation of her values.