Casey Anthony Prosecutor, Married Father of Six Jeff Ashton Admits to Using Ashley Madison Website; Police Want Probe
Jeff Ashton, the state attorney for Orange and Osceola counties in Florida who is famously known for his prosecution of the Casey Anthony trial, revealed Sunday that he was one of millions who signed up for the controversial Ashley Madison spouse-cheating website but said he never cheated.
"While I indulged my curiosity about the site, it never went beyond that," said Ashton, who is married with six children, at a news conference Sunday, according to the Orlando Sentinel. "These were incredibly stupid choices."
Ashton's connection to the cheating website was first reported by the East Orlando Post which commissioned an analysis of its hacked membership data.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"When we came across the account information for a user named Jeff Ashton, we did not believe it was true," said the report.
A technical expert hired by the post to examine the raw membership data from Ashley Madison found 14 transactions from July 2013 through February 2015 linked to a user named Jeff Ashton; all were linked to the same Orange County street address.
Some of the notable quotes from Ashton's account include: "I am looking for someone who has fantasies we can act out. Who know what she wants and isn't afraid to ask for it. You must be discrete, not looking to change my situation just want to get excited again."
When asked if he had opened himself up to blackmail by stating he never met anyone from the website on Sunday, Ashton said he "never allowed any of it to go far enough" to a point where he could be identified.
He also revealed that the email address he used to sign up for the website was too embarrassing to disclose publicly.
"I think I've humiliated myself enough for one weekend," he said and expressed regret over his actions while stating he would be back to work on Monday.
"I ask for the public's forgiveness for my shortcomings, but those choices have had absolutely no impact on the performance of my official duties," he said. "I regret that I have given ammunition to those who seek to discredit the work our office does. I am proud of the work and what we have accomplished thus far. But today, I'm not very proud of myself."
He reportedly choked up several times during the news conference, particularly when speaking about his family.
"If I could have spared (my family) what happened in the last 24 hours, I would do it," said Ashton. "It is my intention tomorrow morning to appear at the office and be state attorney for the 9th Circuit."
An additional East Orlando Post report on Monday has since revealed the email address associated with Ashton's Ashley Madison account as barry5515@gmail.com and revealed that the prosecutor may also have an account on AdultFriendFinder.com.
"Through further research, the East Orlando Post has discovered an account on AdultFriendFinder.com with the username 'Barry5515' — with a 'G' (Group) ending the username — suggesting that he was posting on behalf of himself and another party. This means Ashton was potentially untruthful at the press conference, because a profile appearing to describe his professional and personal life can be found on AdultFriendFinder.com," said the report.
On Monday morning, according to WFTV, members of the Fraternal Order of Police Orlando also called for a probe of Ashton's Ashley Madison activities.
"He insisted no laws were broken, and asked for forgiveness. We certainly hope that is the case and we can appreciate his personal and professional embarrassment. Nevertheless, Mr. Ashton's explanation should not serve as the final authority on whether he violated any laws," said the Fraternal Order in a statement.
"Additionally, should the new allegations be proven true, it would appear as though Mr. Ashton was not completely truthful during his press conference. Law enforcement professionals with experience in investigating vice-related crimes report that the Ashley Madison website was frequented by persons engaged in, and seeking, high‐end prostitution services. The law enforcement community and the citizens of Orange and Osceola counties deserve an independent investigation into Mr. Ashton's involvement with the Ashley Madison site," the statement continued.
