Former Napa teacher arrested on sex abuse charges

4 third grade students complained of inappropriate touching

By MARSHA DORGAN
Napa Valley Register

A former Napa third-grade teacher has been arrested on misdemeanor sexual abuse charges involving four of his students.

Matthew Joseph Shelton, 25, turned himself in Thursday to authorities. He was booked into the county jail on four misdemeanor counts of annoying/molesting a child and two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery.

The charges reflect inappropriate touching of two 8-year-old and two 9-year-old female students, police said.

The alleged crimes happened last April at Phillips Edison Elementary School, where Shelton had taught third grade last year. He was hired August 2006.

“Mr. Shelton has not been an employee of the school district since June 8, 2007, the last day of the previous school year,” said Sharyn Lindsey, Napa Valley Unified School District assistant superintendent.

Each of the girls were allegedly assaulted separately in the classroom, Napa Police Cmdr. Andy Lewis said. “The girls reported the incidents to their parents, who notified the school. Our investigation started in April.”

Lewis said detectives wrapped up their investigation this week and turned it over to the district attorney’s office, who filed a complaint. The Napa County courts issued an arrest warrant. At that point, Shelton, with his attorney, turned himself in at the police station.

Lindsey said Shelton was put on paid administrative leave last April. “As soon as it came to our attention that there was a police investigation and there were allegations against Mr. Shelton, we put him on leave,” she said.

Lindsey said the school district does a fingerprint check on all new employees.

“His fingerprints cleared on Aug. 14, 2006, meaning he had no criminal record,” she said.

Following Shelton’s arrest, the school district sent arrest forms to the California Commission Teacher Credentials, which will review the case and determine whether to revoke Shelton’s teaching credential.

“We never had any problems with Mr. Shelton while he was a teacher at Phillips Edison. This comes as a real blow to us. The mood of the teachers is very somber. We have had a representative from the California Teacher’s Association talk to the teachers and let them know what support is out there,” Lindsey said.

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