Minerva Shelton, candidate for El Paso County Judge
Name: Minerva Torres Shelton
Age: 58
Party: Republican
Occupation: Retired
Relevant Experience
For nearly 30 years, I have dedicated my life to serving my country, protecting my community,
and being accountable to the people who placed their trust in me. I served in the United States
Army, spent five years with the El Paso Police Department, and dedicated 21 years to the FBI,
retiring as a Supervisory Special Agent. Throughout my career, I led complex investigations and
operations, supervised personnel, managed resources, and carried significant budgetary and
administrative responsibilities. I also oversaw a multimillion-dollar, national initiative involving
56 FBI field offices and 85 task forces, requiring collaboration, strategic planning, emergency
preparedness, fiscal oversight, and accountability across multiple agencies and international
governmental agency partners.
My experience taught me that leadership is not about holding a title. It is about making difficult
decisions, taking responsibility for the results, and never losing sight of the people those
decisions affect. In the FBI, integrity is non-negotiable. We were expected to follow the facts,
ask difficult questions, safeguard public resources, and hold ourselves and subordinates
accountable.
The responsibilities of El Paso County Judge demand precisely that kind of experience and
leadership. My background in law enforcement, federal investigations, personnel supervision,
resource management, and multi-agency coordination has prepared me to approach these
responsibilities with discipline, sound judgment, and an understanding of how government must
work to serve its people. I understand the importance of responsible budgeting, transparent
decision-making, emergency preparedness, infrastructure, and ensuring that county departments
are operating effectively and accountably. However, beyond my professional qualifications, I
bring something that has defined my entire life, a genuine commitment to service. I will listen,
ask the difficult questions, demand accountability, protect taxpayer dollars, and work
collaboratively to address the needs of every community throughout El Paso County.
Personal
Minerva Torres Shelton began her public service career in January 1994 with the United
States Army, serving as a Military Intelligence Sergeant (E-5) in the 224th Military
Intelligence Battalion, attached to an airborne unit. In January 1997, she transitioned to
civilian law enforcement and began a career with the El Paso Police Department, where
she served for five years as a Central Patrol Officer.
In January 2002, Minerva entered federal law enforcement service with the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, dedicating 21 years to protecting the public through complex
and high-impact investigations. She worked in the following field offices: Sacramento,
Seattle, and El Paso, and also had the privilege of working at the FBI Headquarters in
Washington, D.C. During her 21-year career, she held the positions of Special Agent,
Task Force Coordinator, and Supervisory Special Agent. Her specialty responsibilities
covered juvenile human trafficking, counterterrorism, fraud, criminal investigations and
fugitive operations.
For seven years, Minerva served as a Task Force Coordinator and later as a supervisor at
FBI Headquarters, where she managed large-scale operations and oversaw substantial
budgets. As a supervisor, she was selected to coordinate a multimillion-dollar initiative
involving 56 FBI field offices, 85 task forces, and international partners. She developed
structured financial plans to support coordinated efforts with county, state, and federal
agencies, ensuring accountability and efficiency across jurisdictions. Her fiscal leadership
included identifying resource requirements, establishing overtime and reimbursement
protocols, monitoring expenditures, tracking performance metrics, reallocating funds as
necessary, and delivering clear, consistent budget reports to partner agencies.
Throughout her career, Minerva worked closely with local, state, federal, and
international partners, as well as nonprofit organizations, faith-based groups, and
community leaders. She has served on several nonprofit boards, such as the El Paso
Central Appraisal Board (CAD), Gigis Playhouse El Paso, and the Boys and Girls Club El
Paso (current), and was a member of the Junior League of El Paso. She has been
recognized repeatedly for her leadership, integrity, and dedication to service. Her
honors include a Unit Citation from the Sacramento Police Department in August 2009
for Exceptional Partnership, recognition from the Kennewick Police Department in
November 2016 for working a complex, resource-intensive investigation, and an FBI
Citation of Achievement in September 2020 for Outstanding Performance. Additionally,
in 2013 she was honored by the nonprofit organization “Courage To Be You,” for her
advocacy and service. Each role she held required extensive background investigations,
underscoring the trust placed in her to safeguard sensitive information, operations and
intelligence. She is trained in Incident Command System (ICS) management, National
Incident Management System (NIMS), and Crisis Negotiations.
Minerva holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of New Mexico,
and a Master’s Degree in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations
from the American Military University. Combining academic training with decades of
operational experience, she has led teams, managed public funds responsibly, and
followed financial trails critical to major investigations. She now seeks to bring the same
disciplined leadership, transparency, and commitment to service to the role of County
Judge.
Minerva and her husband Don are proud parents to their two adult children, Ariel and
Ethan, and two “fur babies,” Hank and Tanner. When she is not advocating for the
people of El Paso, she enjoys trying different coffee drinks, running and reading.
If you are elected, what are your priorities for El Paso?
My priorities are rooted in a simple belief that El Paso County government must work for
the people it serves, protect their tax dollars, and never lose sight of the families and
communities depending on it.
- Fiscal Responsibility and Taxpayer Accountability:
We must get our financial house in order. I will push for a comprehensive review of
county spending, follow the money, identify waste and non-essential spending, and
ensure taxpayer dollars are directed toward the services our residents depend on. I
will advocate for limiting Certificates of Obligation to true emergencies and
essential needs, while demanding greater scrutiny of major expenditures and
taxpayer-funded incentives. I will also request to lower the County Judge salary if
elected. This goes along with another of my credos, “Leading by Example.” Every
dollar entrusted to county government deserves accountability. - Transparency, Integrity and Responsible Growth:
Trust in government is earned through actions, not promises. I will work to make
county spending, contracts, major projects, and economic-development incentives
more transparent, easier to understand, and more accessible to the public. El Paso
deserves leadership that welcomes questions, takes responsibility, and puts the
public interest first. We can pursue economic growth while protecting taxpayers and
ensuring decisions serve the long-term interests of our entire county. - Public Safety, Infrastructure and Emergency Preparedness:
The fundamentals of county government matter because they directly affect people's
lives. Public safety, reliable infrastructure, emergency preparedness, and essential
services must never be afterthoughts. Drawing on my military, law enforcement,
and federal service experience, including crisis response and emergency
coordination, I will work to identify vulnerabilities, strengthen interagency
collaboration, and ensure we are prepared before disaster strikes. I will also review
pending infrastructure projects to ensure administrative obstacles do not continue to
create unnecessary delays, creating potential financial impacts. Our residents
deserve a county government that responds, follows through, and does not leave
communities behind. - Supporting and Strengthening Local Small Businesses:
Our small businesses are more than storefronts; they represent the hard work,
sacrifices, dreams, and livelihoods of El Paso families. I want county government to
be a genuine partner in helping them succeed. I will use the County Judge's platform
to increase their visibility, highlight local entrepreneurs, share their stories, and
encourage residents to support local businesses. I also want to foster stronger
communication between business owners and county government so their concerns
are heard and their contributions recognized. Ultimately, my priority is to restore
public trust through integrity, transparency, accountability, and leadership that
listens. Every community, every taxpayer, and every resident of El Paso County
deserves to know that their government sees them, hears them, and is working for
them.
What are your plans to ensure transparency and make sure you are accessible to constituents?
Transparent government begins with a simple principle, the people have a right to know
how and why decisions are made, how their tax dollars are spent, and who is accountable.
That information should be accessible, understandable, and communicated in plain
language, not buried in lengthy reports or complicated government jargon. As County
Judge, I will make transparency a daily responsibility, not a response to controversy. I
will provide regular public updates on county spending, major projects, challenges, and
progress, including short video updates explaining what happens at Commissioners
Court, why decisions are made, and how they affect our families and taxpayers. Just as
importantly, I will be present and accessible via town halls, community “listening”
sessions and meetings, and direct communication with residents, small businesses, county
employees, and the media. I believe leadership means showing up, being transparent,
listening, being responsive, admitting challenges, and being accountable. County
government belongs to the people. El Pasoans should never have to remind county
government who they work.
What makes you the best candidate?
What I offer the people of El Paso County is independence, integrity, and nearly 30 years of
public service. When people ask what kind of leader I will be, my answer is simple: unbought,
uncompromising, and unafraid.
Unbought means my loyalty belongs to the people of El Paso County, not special interests or
political insiders. I am proud to be running a grassroots campaign supported by everyday El
Pasoans. My decisions will be based on what I believe is best for the people and the taxpayers I
represent.
Uncompromising means I will not compromise my integrity. I will work with anyone who
brings good ideas to the table, regardless of political party, but transparency, accountability, and
ethical leadership are not negotiable.
Unafraid reflects the life I have lived. My service in the military, law enforcement, and the FBI
taught me to follow the facts; it instilled courage and gave me the experience to ask difficult
questions, and make tough decisions. I will bring that same approach to Commissioners Court.
Most importantly, I am running to give taxpayers a voice. I don't see a party label when I meet
someone; I see a neighbor and a taxpayer. The people of El Paso County deserve a County Judge
who will listen to them, stand up for them, ask the questions others may not want to ask, and
remember who government works for, the people.
