Public allegations against challenged incumbent Jefferson County Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Justin Chesson have surfaced at the height of election season — but records obtained by The Examiner raise questions about the origin and validity of at least one key complaint driving the controversy.
While a former employee has publicly claimed to have filed a complaint with the Texas Ethics Commission and the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, The Examiner has confirmed through official agency responses that no such complaint appears to have ever been filed.
Emails reviewed from the Texas Ethics Commission, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, and the Texas Department of Public Safety indicate there is no record of a sworn complaint or active investigation into Chesson by those agencies.
As of Feb. 13, State Commission on Judicial Conduct Executive Director Jacqueline R. Habersham confirmed there was no complaint filed against Chesson in or around September 2025, nor was any complaint currently pending.
Additionally, Deputy Director of Enforcement Jordan T. Hunn with the Texas Ethics Commission wrote in an email to Chesson’s wife, Courtney Chesson: “I searched our records for a sworn complaint filed against your husband and didn’t find anything. So far as I’m aware, nobody’s filed a complaint against him with us.”
Chesson also submitted a Public Information Request to the Texas Department of Public Safety seeking confirmation of whether the Texas Rangers had an open investigation into him. DPS reported conducting a good faith search and determined there were no responsive records.
Despite the absence of a filed ethics complaint, however, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) has confirmed it is conducting an investigation stemming from allegations that Chesson and Precinct 4 Constable Bryan Werner made critical missteps in handling a minor sexual abuse victim.
Allegations come – much later
According to claims made by former Pct. 4 Assistant Deputy Constable Alan Roberts, a minor allegedly disclosed sexual abuse by her guardian, Mark Marceaux, during a 2023 meeting involving Chesson and Werner. The “whistleblower” contends that, instead of reporting the allegations to appropriate authorities, the Pct. 4 officials dismissed the child’s claims. Two years later, those claims would seem proven true with a sworn probable cause affidavit wherein Marceaux allegedly admits to the assault.
Texas law requires public officials to report suspected child abuse to appropriate authorities, including Roberts, Chesson, and Werner, as Roberts allegedly instructed his fellow county workers. In 2023, though, no one reported the abuse. Roberts said his attorney advised him not to make a report of the outcry due to a pending complaint surrounding his termination from Pct. 4 at the time.
Chesson disputes the claim that any such disclosure or outcry occurred.
In an exclusive interview with The Examiner, Chesson stated that, while the child had been in his office on multiple occasions due to school-related behavioral issues, “Not one time did the child ever say she was being sexually assaulted by anyone.”
“The child was in my office many times,” Chesson said, explaining that the child was frequently in trouble at school and that Marceaux would often ask the justice of the peace to speak with the child about her behavior. Chesson said that, when he got to the point he felt he could no longer help the child, as the behavior did not change, he referred her to the juvenile court system where additional resources are available.
Chesson acknowledged that he met with the child at a local church after Marceaux’s indictment to apologize — not for failing to report abuse, he said, but for being hard on the child’s behavior without knowing she was experiencing trauma.
“I’ve known (the victim’s) aunt my whole life. The aunt said the girl wanted to see me. We went to the church, and we went in our pastor’s office, and I did apologize to (the child),” Chesson said. “I knew nothing was going on, and I did nothing to help her, and I was so hard on her for acting out the way she was acting out.
“I had no clue she was being assaulted.”
The criminal case, then the civil allegations
The allegation that Chesson knew of the abuse in 2023 only surfaced following the September 2025 arrest of Marceaux on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14.
According to a probable cause affidavit connected to the indictment, Marceaux admitted during a therapy session at the Spindletop Center that he had sexually assaulted a child under his guardianship. The therapist notified authorities, prompting deputies to respond.
JCSO Detective Supervisor Chad Williamson reported in a sworn statement that Marceaux admitted to touching the child and engaging in sexual acts over an extended period of time, with abuse dating back to 2023.
“Marceaux said that he had touched (the victim) and had been touching her for years,” Williamson wrote.
The judicial complaint/allegation against Chesson surfaced after Marceaux was arrested, and has drawn criticism against the “whistleblower,” who has been described by some as a disgruntled former employee. In the written judicial complaint that was allegedly never filed, Roberts claimed he witnessed or overheard the 2023 interaction and later warned Chesson and Werner they had a duty to report the allegations.
Roberts alleged that, instead of initiating an investigation, Pct. 4 officials confronted the minor and accused her of lying.
“‘This little girl is not going to ruin this man’s good name by making these accusations.’ That’s the words Chesson said in the hallway after meeting with Marceaux and the (victim),” Roberts told The Examiner, adding that he advised Chesson and Werner to reach out to a trained professional connected to the Garth House. “This is not normal for a child of this age.”
The complaint provided by Roberts alleged, in part, that: “I was a Deputy Constable at Pct 4 in Jefferson County. At the time, I was employed at this office as a peace officer for 13 years. My office is located directly across from JP Chesson’s office located at 19217 FM 365 Beaumont Texas 77705. Approximately a year ago, I observed Mark Marceaux come to the office to speak with Judge Chesson, as well as Constable Bryan Werner. During this conversation, the door to the office was open and I was able to hear the conversation.
“Mark brought in (the victim) who appeared to be 12 or 13 years old into the office. The Constable and Judge had a closed-door conversation with this child along with (Marceaux) which lasted 45 minutes to an hour. At times I could hear JP Chesson, as well as Constable Werner, getting loud, saying ‘you’re lying.’ I heard both tell the girl that she was lucky to have (Marceaux) that was taking care of her and how wrong she was to indicate that her actions were his fault.
“(Afterward), Chesson and Werner were in the hall discussing the conversation. Apparently, the (child) has been touching other students at school sexually, specifically in the genital areas. She explained that Mark … was teaching her ... these actions. Judge and Werner, both stated that is when they shut that ‘shit’ down.”
“I believe JP Justin Chesson and Constable Werner had an obligation to report the outcry of this child and failed to do so,” Roberts concluded. “Which potentially would have prevented further abuse.
“It is my understanding that Judge Chesson has contacted the Jefferson County Sheriff ICD unit admitting to the child being present in his office making (outcries) and he told her that she was a liar.
“My preference would be to remain confidential for fear of repercussions from the judge, the constable and their families; however, if my identity is needed to prevent another person from being victimized, then I am willing to fight those repercussions.
“The judge does not value the laws that he is sworn to uphold, and the constable is one of his best friends who does look the other way to illegal violations.”
Roberts told The Examiner he provided a sworn written and recorded statement to the local sheriff’s office Feb. 17. According to him, the statement was “100% the same” details as delineated in the written report to the ethics commission. According to information Roberts said he referenced in the sheriff’s interview, there was also a second witness to the alleged interaction described in the written complaint. The identity of that witness and details of the interview have not yet been officially released.
At this time, no formal charges or findings of wrongdoing have been announced against Chesson. JSCO has confirmed an ongoing investigation, as well as the fact that Roberts has made a statement to the law enforcement agency.
Under Texas law, proceedings and records of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct are generally confidential unless formal charges or sanctions are issued.