The case involves allegations of abuse of a child under 12 and could raise questions about Florida’s death penalty law.
LAKE COUNTY, FL — A Lake County man has been indicted on 47 charges tied to the alleged sexual abuse of a child under 12, according to court documents filed Tuesday in a case that remains active.
The indictment names 41-year-old Schubert Macarat and greatly expands the case that began with his March arrest on two charges. Macarat has pleaded not guilty. The charges include sexual battery counts and child pornography counts, placing the case in a serious stage as prosecutors prepare to discuss the indictment publicly.
The indictment filed May 26 includes 12 counts of sexual battery upon a person under 12 and seven counts of sexual battery on a child by a person in familial or custodial authority. It also includes multiple counts of possession of child pornography. The case began about two months earlier, when Macarat was arrested on charges of lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim under 12 and sexual battery. David Haas, a criminal defense attorney and former federal prosecutor who reviewed the case for WESH 2 News, said investigators sometimes move quickly at first and add formal charges later. “Oftentimes, law enforcement will go make a quick arrest based upon a number of public safety needs, and then sometimes a lot of the formal charges can come later,” Haas said.
Much of the initial arrest report is redacted, but the unredacted portions say Macarat was accused of molesting a child for whom he was a parent or guardian at a home in Lake County. The indictment alleges the abuse occurred over several years. According to the arrest report, deputies were told the molestation happened “around three times a week” while another person, whose name was redacted, was at work. The report also says deputies obtained video evidence after a person, whose identity was redacted, placed a camera in a bedroom because that person believed the incidents would happen when someone else was not home. Officials have not publicly identified the child, and the child’s relationship to other people in the home remains partly hidden by redactions.
The arrest report says a deputy asked Macarat what he would say if investigators told him they had video evidence of him sexually battering the victim. Macarat reportedly replied, “I would say I made a mistake.” That statement appears in the report, but the broader case has not been tested at trial. Macarat’s not-guilty plea means prosecutors still must prove the charges in court. The number of counts suggests investigators and prosecutors reviewed several alleged incidents, evidence items or dates, but many details remain sealed or redacted because the case involves a child and an open criminal investigation. Officials have not released the full list of evidence or said whether more arrests are expected.
The case is being handled in Lake County, which is part of Florida’s Fifth Judicial Circuit. The State Attorney’s Office for the circuit serves Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties. Court and prosecution records are central to the next steps because an indictment can shape how prosecutors move forward in a felony case. Haas said the indictment may also point to a possible legal strategy by prosecutors because Florida law allows the state to seek the death penalty in certain child sex offense cases. He said that “could be something that is being triggered by this indictment and the type and just the matter in which it’s being prosecuted.” Prosecutors have not publicly said whether they will seek that penalty in Macarat’s case.
Under the timeline described in court records, prosecutors would likely have until June 4 to file a notice of intent if they choose to seek the death penalty. That filing has not been reported as of the latest available information. The State Attorney’s Office was expected to address the indictment and parts of the case during a public update Wednesday morning. Florida lawmakers were also expected to attend, according to the report. The update could clarify whether prosecutors will pursue special penalties, identify the lead agencies involved and explain how the indictment grew from the original March arrest. Any future hearing dates, evidence motions or trial schedule would be handled through the court.
The allegations center on a private home in Lake County, but investigators have disclosed few scene details because of the child’s age and the protected nature of the case. The redactions leave several key facts unknown, including who placed the camera, who was away at work and whether investigators believe there are additional victims. Haas said the case appears complex because of the number of charges and the nature of the allegations. “There appears to be a number of alleged victims and a number of violations that have been committed,” he said. Authorities have not publicly confirmed the number of alleged victims. The indictment, arrest report and scheduled prosecution update remain the main public records shaping what is known.
Macarat remains accused, not convicted, and the case is still moving through court. The next milestone is the State Attorney’s Office update and the June 4 deadline that could determine whether prosecutors file notice of intent to seek the death penalty.
Author note: Last updated May 27, 2026.