The 67-year-old county official faces five felony charges and was suspended from office by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL — Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Michael Caruso was arrested Tuesday on five felony charges stemming from allegations that he sexually abused a young family member, according to Florida authorities and an arrest warrant filed in Orange County.
Caruso, 67, faces charges of kidnapping, lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious exhibition, luring or enticing a child and child abuse causing mental injury. Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Caruso from office Aug. 18, hours after his arrest by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The charges are allegations, and Caruso has not been convicted of the offenses.
The arrest followed an investigation by FDLE and the Florida Office of Statewide Prosecution. Attorney General James Uthmeier said the investigation remained active and that additional information would be released when appropriate. State officials said Caruso, a Riviera Beach resident, was being taken to Orange County following his arrest.
An affidavit attached to the governor’s suspension order alleges that the child was younger than 12 during the period under investigation and was related to Caruso. Investigators said the alleged conduct began in Orange County in fall 2024 and continued into 2025. The affidavit describes several occasions when Caruso allegedly was alone with the child, including a fishing outing and a family vacation. Authorities allege inappropriate sexual contact occurred during those periods. The child’s identity has not been made public.
According to the affidavit, the investigation developed after the child’s father became concerned about the child’s behavior in October 2025. The child later spoke with law enforcement in a recorded interview and described alleged incidents involving Caruso, investigators said. The affidavit says the child identified an incident around Thanksgiving 2024 and another during an August 2025 family cruise. Investigators also documented an earlier fishing trip during which Caruso allegedly touched the child inappropriately.
The affidavit alleges that during the cruise, Caruso separated the child from his parents after saying he would take the child to get ice cream. Authorities allege Caruso instead took the child to his stateroom and sexually abused him. The filing contains more explicit allegations, but they are not necessary to describe the criminal case. Investigators said the child’s family later arranged therapeutic services and that the child has continued receiving care.
Investigators also described conversations between Caruso and relatives after the allegations surfaced. According to the affidavit, Caruso acknowledged taking the child fishing and separating the child from family members during the cruise but denied sexual misconduct. The document alleges that during one conversation Caruso expressed concern that he would be arrested if the allegations were reported. Those statements are contained in the state’s probable-cause filing and have not been tested at trial.
DeSantis issued Executive Order 26-170 suspending Caruso effective immediately. The order bars him from performing official duties, receiving pay or using the privileges of the clerk’s office while the suspension remains in effect. The governor also directed FDLE to assist with the transition and ensure that office files, records, computers and storage media were not removed during the change in leadership.
Caruso is a former Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives. DeSantis appointed him Palm Beach County clerk and comptroller in August 2025 after Caruso left the Legislature. The clerk’s office is responsible for court records and performs other financial and administrative functions for county government. Caruso’s arrest came one year after his appointment to the position.
Palm Beach County moved quickly to keep the clerk’s office operating after Caruso’s suspension. Chief Judge Glenn Kelley of Florida’s 15th Judicial Circuit issued an administrative order appointing Shannon Ramsey-Chessman as clerk ad interim. Circuit Judge Bradley Harper swore her in Tuesday. Ramsey-Chessman previously served in senior positions in the clerk’s office, including chief deputy clerk and chief of staff.
The criminal case is centered in Orange County, where investigators said part of the alleged conduct occurred. A judge found probable cause for the five felony charges and issued an arrest warrant. State authorities have said the investigation is continuing. No conviction has been entered, and the allegations against Caruso will have to be resolved through the court process.
Author note: Last updated August 19, 2026.