legrandangle-lgm

On the witness stand in a Vallejo courtroom Tuesday, a Benicia school resource officer and a Benicia police detective testified that students from an elementary school in Benicia told them that their former teacher had abused them.

The testimony marked the first day of the Solano County Superior Court preliminary hearing for Matthew Joseph Shelton, 43, who is charged with 12 felony counts of lewd acts against four children under the age of 14.

Some of the allegations date back to late 2022, while others stem from Shelton’s alleged conduct in 2024, according to testimony heard during an afternoon session at Department 23.

As his first witness, Deputy District Attorney Barry Shapiro called Stephen Adaya, the school resource officer at Robert Semple Elementary.

Adaya told Shapiro that Principal Christina Moore told him in December 2022 that three fifth-grade students, all girls, reported that Shelton had “touched them inappropriately.”

Adaya testified that he told Shelton what the students claimed, but Shelton, he said, described the students as “caught up in drama” and “had disciplined the class by pulling them out.”

Shelton, he said, denied the students’ statements and further denied touching them inappropriately, including placing his hands on their buttocks.

The girls, Adaya said, were students in an afternoon “extended learning” classroom.

During her cross-examination, Shelton’s attorney, Amanda I. Bevins of Napa, asked Adaya if he had filed for a warrant for Shelton’s arrest. He did not, and he said he had not spoken to other school staff members about the allegations at the time.

Adaya also confirmed that one of Robert Semple’s students told him she “felt safe but uncomfortable” in Shelton’s class.

As his second witness, Shapiro called Benicia Police Detective Ashley Wright to the witness stand. She testified that on March 27, 2023, she conducted a survey with the help of specialists who interviewed minors.

A student, Wright said, told her that Shelton touched her buttocks three times and “her crotch” once under a desk for “three to five seconds” while she was in an after-school class.

Wright testified that the student described him touching her buttocks as she both entered and left the classroom, and at one point he recalled reaching his hand to the lower part of her buttocks, where “she felt a slight pinch.” .

Later, on March 7 of this year, another fifth-grader came forward, claiming Shelton also touched her inappropriately, Wright said, adding that Shelton molested her in a car during a field trip .

Wright testified that Shelton “reached back and touched her vagina while he was driving,” which made the girl feel uncomfortable.

Later, as they got out of the car, Shelton, while walking the girl by the hand, placed her hand on his “rock-solid” penis for “five to 10 seconds.”

Shapiro showed Wright several anatomical drawings in which the girl had indicated where Shelton allegedly touched her, then asked why the girl came forward to accuse her teacher. The student knew his alleged action was wrong, Wright said.

More allegations against Shelton emerged in April 2024, with Wright testifying that during that time he would hug one of the girls and then slide his hands to her buttocks. Another student witnessed Shelton’s behavior, Wright said.

Recalling Shelton’s alleged behavior on Oct. 10, 2023, Wright said that while grabbing both of a girl’s hands, he spun her around so that her hand brushed his penis.

As Wright spoke, Shelton, a tall man standing over 6 feet tall with close-cropped black hair and wearing a burgundy shirt and a gray tie over black pants, took notes as he sat at the defense table.

Shortly thereafter, Judge John B. Ellis, who presided over the hearing, adjourned proceedings at about 3:25 p.m., just as Bevins began her cross-examination.