Palm Beach County Clerk of Court and Comptroller Michael Caruso was arrested early Tuesday morning on five felony charges, including kidnapping and child sexual abuse. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis immediately suspended him from office, as local voters and officials confront a major political and administrative shake-up on primary election day.
What was expected to be a routine primary election day in Palm Beach County turned into a political crisis on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Michael Caruso, a 67-year-old Republican whom Governor Ron DeSantis appointed to lead the clerk’s office a year prior, was taken into custody by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and local police.
The Charges and the Arrest Affidavit
According to an arrest affidavit filed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Caruso faces five felony counts: kidnapping, lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious exhibition, luring or enticing a child, and child abuse causing mental injury. Investigators state that the alleged victim is a young relative under the age of 12 who had regular, unsupervised access to Caruso due to their family relationship.
The criminal probe began after the child’s father observed the boy exhibiting sexualized behavior with his younger brother in October 2025. When questioned, the child disclosed that Caruso had abused him. Investigators outlined an ongoing course of conduct starting in Orange County in 2024 and culminating during a family cruise in August 2025.
The affidavit details multiple incidents, including an outing where Caruso took the child fishing, an episode on Thanksgiving Day 2024 involving soccer, and a seven-day Royal Caribbean cruise aboard the Icon of the Seas that departed PortMiami on August 24, 2025.
Confrontations and Secret Recordings
Before the arrest, family members confronted Caruso multiple times. In December 2025, the boy’s father confronted him about the abuse. While Caruso denied the allegations, he acknowledged showering with children and mentioned he had previously been accused of inappropriate behavior by a female relative. According to the court document, Caruso warned the father, You tell anyone, I’m going to jail.
Political Fallout and Immediate Suspension
Governor DeSantis acted swiftly following the early morning arrest, issuing an executive order to suspend Caruso from public office without pay or privileges. Shannon Ramsey-Chessman, a high-ranking official within the clerk’s office, was sworn in as the Ad Interim Clerk.
“Being in a position of public trust provides no shield from accountability. Thanks to the thorough investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Office of Statewide Prosecution, this individual will face the full force of the law.”
James Uthmeier, Florida Attorney General
At a news conference, DeSantis stated that Caruso had passed a clean vetting process when he was appointed in August 2025 following seven years in the Florida House of Representatives. He had a clean vet, he was well-regarded in the community,
DeSantis said, adding that once state prosecutors decided to move forward with the arrest, it was a very easy decision for me to yank him from this position.
The arrest sent shockwaves through Palm Beach County on primary election day. Although Caruso was running for re-election in November and was uncontested in the primary—meaning his name did not appear on Tuesday’s ballot—his sudden removal left local Republicans without a candidate for the county post. Voters expressed astonishment at the news, with one telling reporters that officials of that stature ought to hold themselves to a higher level of standard.
Legal Battles Over Child Identification
Even as the criminal case moves forward, controversy surrounds how state authorities handled documentation released to the public. Lisa Haba of The Haba Law Firm, representing the victim’s family, strongly criticized the governor’s office for releasing an arrest affidavit containing identifying details about the young child.
“Child sexual abuse victims should never have identifying details about them released, and it is abhorrent that the child victim in connection with the arrest of Michael Caruso has been subjected to this breach.”
Lisa Haba, Attorney for the Victim’s Family
Caruso is being held without bond at the Palm Beach County jail. State prosecutors and law enforcement officials indicate that the investigation remains active as the case prepares to move through the Florida legal system.
