Palm Beach County Clerk Suspended After FDLE Arrest on Child Abuse Charges

Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Michael Caruso from office on Tuesday, hours after the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested him on charges related to alleged child sexual abuse.

Caruso, 67, of Riviera Beach, faces charges of kidnapping, lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious exhibition, luring or enticing a child, and child abuse causing mental injury, according to an arrest warrant and affidavit filed in Orange County Circuit Court. Attorney General James Uthmeier and FDLE announced the arrest.

Caruso has been charged but not convicted, and he is entitled to the presumption of innocence. He was to be taken to the Orange County Jail and held without bond pending a first appearance before a judge.

What the charging documents allege

According to the FDLE affidavit, the alleged victim is a family member, a boy under the age of 12. Investigators state that Caruso had regular unsupervised access to the child because of that family relationship.

The affidavit alleges the conduct occurred in Orange County and Palm Beach County and during a family cruise in August 2025 aboard a Royal Caribbean vessel. Investigators state the alleged abuse began in the fall of 2024.

The allegations remain allegations. An arrest affidavit sets out what investigators say probable cause supports; it does not establish guilt, and the charges will be tested through the ordinary course of a criminal prosecution.

The suspension and its legal basis

Florida's constitution grants the governor authority to suspend certain elected county officers who are arrested and charged with a felony or with a misdemeanor arising out of their official duties. The suspension takes effect immediately and does not require a conviction.

A suspended officer may be removed from office or reinstated by the Florida Senate, which holds that authority under the constitution. Until the Senate acts, or until the criminal case resolves, the officer remains suspended without pay in most circumstances.

DeSantis has used the suspension power in multiple instances during his tenure, including for local officials arrested on criminal charges. The governor is generally authorized to appoint a replacement to serve during the suspension period.

What the clerk's office does

Florida's clerks of the circuit court hold a constitutional office that combines court and county financial functions. The clerk maintains court records, processes filings, handles jury management, collects court-ordered fines and fees, and issues marriage licenses.

In Palm Beach County, the clerk also serves as county comptroller, which adds responsibility for county financial records, auditing and investment of county funds. That combination is common but not universal across Florida's 67 counties.

The office's ordinary functions continue during a suspension, carried out by the office's professional staff under whoever the governor appoints to serve in the interim. Court filings, records requests and financial operations are not interrupted by the change at the top.

What it means for Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County is Florida's third-most populous county, with more than 1.5 million residents. The clerk and comptroller's office handles a substantial volume of court filings and manages county financial functions of significant scale.

Residents with pending court matters, records requests or other business before the clerk's office should not expect disruption to routine services. Those functions are staffed by career employees and continue under existing procedures.

For county government, the immediate practical question is who serves in the interim role and how the transition is handled. That determination rests with the governor's office.

How the case proceeds

The charges were filed in Orange County Circuit Court, which reflects where investigators allege some of the conduct occurred. Multi-county allegations can raise venue questions that courts resolve according to Florida's criminal procedure rules.

The first appearance is the initial court proceeding after arrest, where a judge addresses pretrial release. Caruso was to be held without bond, a status that a judge can revisit at subsequent hearings.

From there, a criminal case moves through the filing of formal charges by the State Attorney, arraignment, discovery and pretrial motions before reaching trial or resolution. Cases of this complexity commonly take many months.

What FDLE does

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is the state's principal investigative agency, with authority that extends across county lines and jurisdictions. It handles cases including public corruption, computer crimes, crimes against children, and investigations referred by local agencies that lack the resources or the independence to pursue them.

Cases involving public officials frequently route to FDLE precisely because of the independence question. A local agency investigating a local elected official faces institutional relationships that a state agency does not, and referrals to FDLE address that concern.

The agency also operates Florida's crime laboratory system, maintains the state's criminal history records, and administers officer certification standards for law enforcement across Florida. Those functions run alongside its investigative work.

FDLE investigations that produce arrests typically involve coordination with a prosecuting authority, either a State Attorney's office or the Office of Statewide Prosecution within the Attorney General's office, depending on the nature and geography of the alleged conduct.

The presumption of innocence in practice

An arrest establishes that a judge or law enforcement officer found probable cause, a standard substantially lower than the proof beyond a reasonable doubt required for conviction. Probable cause means reasonable grounds to believe an offense occurred and that the person committed it.

The affidavit supporting an arrest presents the investigation's account. It is written by law enforcement, is not subject to cross-examination at that stage, and does not include whatever the defense may later present. Its contents are allegations rather than findings.

Between arrest and trial, a case passes through several stages where the allegations are tested. The prosecuting authority decides which charges to formally file, which may differ from the arrest charges. Defense counsel obtains discovery, may depose witnesses under Florida's criminal procedure rules, and may file motions challenging evidence.

Many cases resolve before trial through negotiated pleas or dismissal. Those outcomes reflect the strength of evidence as it develops, and they occur in a substantial majority of criminal prosecutions nationally.

Suspension and removal in Florida law

The governor's suspension authority over county officers appears in Article IV of the Florida Constitution, and it extends to grounds including malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties, and commission of a felony.

An executive order of suspension states the grounds and takes effect immediately. The suspended officer may not perform the duties of the office, and the governor may appoint someone to serve during the suspension period.

The Florida Senate holds the removal authority. Under its rules, the Senate may appoint a special master to conduct proceedings, take evidence and make recommendations, after which the full Senate votes on removal or reinstatement.

In practice, the Senate has frequently deferred action on suspensions arising from criminal charges until the underlying case concludes. An acquitted or exonerated official may be reinstated; a convicted official is generally removed, and a felony conviction independently disqualifies a person from holding office under Florida law.

How Florida charges the offenses at issue

The counts listed in the arrest documents correspond to distinct offenses under Florida law, each with its own elements that a prosecutor must prove. Kidnapping, under Florida statute, involves confining, abducting or imprisoning another person against their will, with specified aggravating circumstances when the victim is a child.

Lewd or lascivious molestation and lewd or lascivious exhibition are separate offenses within a statutory scheme addressing sexual offenses against minors. The applicable penalties vary based on the age of the alleged victim and the age of the accused, with the most severe classifications applying where the victim is under 12.

Luring or enticing a child is a distinct offense addressing conduct intended to bring a child into a structure or vehicle for unlawful purposes. Child abuse causing mental injury addresses harm that is psychological rather than physical.

Charging multiple counts arising from a course of conduct is standard practice. The prosecuting authority ultimately decides which counts to formally file, and a court determines at sentencing how any resulting convictions interact.

Reporting and support resources

Florida operates a statewide abuse hotline through the Department of Children and Families, which receives reports of suspected child abuse, neglect and exploitation. Reports can be made by phone, online or by fax, and reporters may remain anonymous.

Certain professionals in Florida are mandatory reporters, required by law to report suspected abuse. That category includes physicians, nurses, teachers, school personnel, social workers and law enforcement officers, among others.

Child protection teams, operating through the Department of Health, provide medical evaluation and coordination in cases where abuse is suspected. Children's advocacy centers across the state offer forensic interviewing and support services designed to limit the number of times a child must recount events.

Victim advocates are available through State Attorney offices and through community organizations, providing support to families navigating a criminal case. Those services are separate from the prosecution and focus on the needs of the family rather than the case outcome.

What's next

The State Attorney's office with jurisdiction will make the formal charging decision, determining which counts to pursue. That decision follows review of the investigative file and is distinct from the arrest charges.

The Florida Senate holds the constitutional authority to remove or reinstate a suspended officer. That process typically waits on the criminal case, and the Senate has historically deferred action until proceedings conclude.

Court records in the case will be available through the Orange County Clerk of Courts as the matter proceeds. Filings in criminal cases are generally public, subject to statutory protections for victim identity, particularly where a minor is involved.