One year after being appointed by DeSantis as Palm Beach County clerk of the circuit court and comptroller, former state Rep. Mike Caruso was suspended from the job by the governor after being arrested Tuesday on five felony counts tied to alleged sexual abuse of a involving a child under 12 multiple times between November 2024 and August 2025.
Entering a not guilty plea, Caruso said little during a brief hearing Thursday in an Orange County courtroom where he was denied bond.
During an event in Sarasota on Tuesday, DeSantis noted that Florida has passed a law to reintroduce the death penalty for pedophiles.
“I’m proud that I signed that into law, and I’m proud that we have very strong penalties for people that abuse children,” DeSantis said.
“If he is convicted, he’s going to be in for a world of hurt,” DeSantis added.
Prior to the appointment, Caruso, a Republican from Delray Beach, was a vocal supporter of DeSantis during clashes between the governor and House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, on issues such as immigration enforcement.
Pitch in to help make the Tampa Bay Journalism Project a success.
Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.
Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky
