YEAR IN REVIEW 2023 - JUNE

JUNE 2023

A former Shelton High School freshman counselor was arrested June 2 at his Shelton residence by Mason County Sheriff's Office deputies after a two-month investigation.

Samuel Martin Caffey, 29, faces charges of child rape, child molestation, sexual misconduct with a minor, delivery of a controlled substance and possession of child pornography.

Caffey was booked into Mason County Jail on Friday afternoon and made his initial court appearance Monday in Mason County Superior Court, where Superior Court Judge Monty Cobb set bail at $300,000 and scheduled Caffey's initial arraignment for 9 a.m. June 20. He was in custody in Mason County Jail.

According to a sheriff's office news release announcing the arrest, an investigation began April 5 after a juvenile was reported missing by her family. Her family eventually found her, before sheriff's deputies arrived, about a mile from her home. She was with Caffey, who allegedly hid in nearby trees.

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City councils and county commissions routinely sign proclamations noting month-long observances, which this month in the United States include African-American Music Appreciation Month, Caribbean-American Heritage Month and National Safety Month. The proclamations are usually noted briefly at a meeting and signed by council and commission members without a vote or comment.

But when the Mason County Board of Commissioners and Shelton City Council on June 6 both signed national LGBTQ Pride Month proclamations, they were greeted with calls of support and opposition. Shelton City Council members James Boad and Kathy McDowell said they opposed the proclamation.

Mason County commissioners signed the National LGBTQ+ Pride month proclamation the morning of June 6.

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The Shelton City Council on June 20 voted unanimously to remove the "interim" title from Mark Ziegler and appoint him city manager.

After meeting in an executive session following its regular meeting, the council reconvened and voted unanimously for the appointment of Ziegler, a Shelton native who has worked for the city for 29 years. Mayor Eric Onisko and Deputy Mayor Joe Schmit will now negotiate a contact with Ziegler.

Ziegler was named interim manager three months ago following the departure of Jeff Niten, who was hired as the city manager of Mountlake Terrace in Snohomish County.

"In the short time you have been interim city manager, you have shown you have the dedication and the will and the ability to run this city, and I think you are the perfect choice for this position, and you're dedicated," Onisko said.

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Shelton Police Chief Carole Beason announced in mid-June she will retire in November.

In an email to the Journal, Mary Ricker, the city's communications specialist, said Beason had given the city notice of her retirement, effective Nov. 2. The city had not yet decided on a recruitment process to replace her, she said.

Beason was hired in November 2020 to replace the retiring Darrin Moody and started the job in January 2021. The other two finalists for the position were Ronald Schaub, a lieutenant with the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, and Ton Phan, former deputy police chief for the Davis (California) Police Department.

Before coming to Shelton, Beason worked for the San Diego Police Department for 25 years. She began her career in the department as an officer and became a lieutenant in 2015. In that position, she led the sex crimes unit, child abuse unit, internet crimes against child task force, and the sex registrant unit.