By Larry Barszewski
Mike Caruso, Palm Beach County’s clerk of courts and comptroller — and a former state representative for South County’s island communities — was arrested Aug. 18 on multiple child sex-abuse charges.
Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended him from office. Caruso, a Republican, has been seeking election to the clerk’s post to which DeSantis appointed him last year.
Caruso, 67, has been charged with five felony counts: kidnapping, lewd or lascivious exhibition, lewd or lascivious molestation, luring or enticing a child, and child abuse (mental injury). He was transferred from Palm Beach County to Orange County, where he will be tried.
But an Orlando circuit judge questioned the charges at an Aug. 28 pretrial hearing.
“At this time I cannot say that there’s a substantial probability that the defendant committed the offenses,” Judge A. James Craner said.
Craner set bond at $160,000, which Caruso posted later that day, leaving the Orlando County Jail and returning to his new home, a condominium he bought in December in Lake Park.
“I maintain my innocence completely,” he told reporters.
Still, officials said, the investigation remains ongoing and more charges are expected. The Haba Law Firm in Orlando, which is representing the alleged victim in the case, is encouraging any other individuals who may have been victimized by Caruso to reach out.
Caruso was a Delray Beach National Little League coach for more than 30 years, and was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader, according to his biographical information on the flhouse.gov website.
The counts against Caruso involve an alleged victim under 12 years of age and incidents that were reported to have occurred in 2024 and 2025.
The Coastal Star is limiting the victim information it provides to protect the child’s identity.
According to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrest affidavit, the alleged victim said he was abused in Orange County around Thanksgiving in 2024 and during a family cruise-ship vacation with Caruso and others in August 2025 — just a week after Caruso’s appointment to the clerk’s position.
The boy described to investigators a sexual act that allegedly occurred while he and Caruso showered together on the cruise ship — while others in their party were told they had gone to get ice cream. The victim also told police of occasions where Caruso touched and tickled his genitals while the two were out at a pond fishing together, as well as during a game of “tickle monster” while they were outside playing soccer.
When confronted with the victim’s disclosures in December, Caruso denied the allegations, according to the police affidavit. It also stated he told one of his sons: “Son, if you tell anyone I will get arrested. I will just go away. You tell anyone, I’m going to jail.”
During a recorded February conversation, “Caruso asserted that the allegations were impossible because, in substance, sexual deviation is directed toward only one sex rather than two, and because he is attracted to women he could not be a sex offender,” according to the affidavit.
The governor’s executive order said: “Michael Allen Caruso is hereby prohibited from performing any official act, duty, or function of public office; from receiving any pay or allowance; and from being entitled to any of the emoluments or privileges of public office during the period of this suspension.”
The suspension shall last “until a further executive order is issued, or otherwise provided by law,” it said.
“I’m shocked. Everybody is shocked,” said a fellow Republican, Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman of Highland Beach, who served with Caruso in the state House.
That sentiment was shared by a clerk’s office post on Facebook announcing that Caruso had been arrested for “serious” criminal charges.
“While this is surprising news for our entire team, it does not change who we are at the Clerk’s office or our commitment to the community and customers we serve,” the post said.
The office announced that Shannon Ramsey-Chessman was named clerk ad interim for Palm Beach County by Chief Judge Glenn Kelley of the 15th Judicial Circuit. Ramsey-Chessman has served as chief deputy clerk and in other administrative positions for the office since January 2021.
Caruso is currently the Republican candidate in a November contest for the clerk of courts position against Boca Raton City Council member Yvette Drucker, a Democrat. At this point his name will appear on the ballot even if he were to withdraw from the race.
Caruso was a CPA from Delray Beach when he was first elected to the state House in 2018, originally representing a district that stretched along the coast from Boca Raton to Singer Island.
At the time he was appointed clerk, his district included most of Manalapan, the eastern part of Lantana, plus South Palm Beach and points north to Juno Beach.
That latter seat is now held by Rep. Emily Gregory, a Democrat, who won a special election in March.
Rich Pollack contributed to this story.
Comments