Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says the man he appointed to serve as Palm Beach County’s clerk of court could face the ultimate punishment if the child sex abuse allegations against him lead to a qualifying conviction.

Michael Caruso, a former Republican state lawmaker and once-trusted DeSantis ally, was arrested Tuesday on five felony charges involving a child.

DeSantis did not hedge when reporters asked him about the case.

His former ally, he said, could be “in for a world of hurt.”

Christina Pushaw shared DeSantis’s complete response, including his confirmation that state law enforcement initiated the investigation:

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Fox News reported Wednesday that DeSantis pointed directly to the capital-punishment law he signed in 2023. That law allows Florida prosecutors to seek the death penalty in certain cases involving the sexual battery of a child under 12.

The governor said Florida was the first state to restore that punishment for child predators and made clear that he remains proud of signing it.

DeSantis also said Caruso was thoroughly vetted and well regarded when he received the appointment. Once state investigators were prepared to make the arrest, however, the governor said removing him was an easy decision.

That is how equal justice is supposed to work. A political appointment is not a shield, and a personal alliance is not immunity.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the arrest Tuesday morning and said the investigation remains active:

The Executive Office of Governor Ron DeSantis announced Caruso’s appointment one year ago. The appointment took effect on August 19, 2025, after Caruso had served in the Florida House since 2018.

Caruso, a certified public accountant and attorney, was chosen to replace former clerk Joseph Abruzzo. The position placed him over court records, public funds and other critical Palm Beach County functions.

The governor’s announcement highlighted Caruso’s previous work as the owner of a forensic-accounting firm. It also listed service on the Delray Beach Police Advisory Board, the West Atlantic Redevelopment Coalition and the city’s Parking Management Advisory Board.

Caruso had represented House District 89 from 2018 through 2022 before moving to District 87. He earned a business-administration degree from George Washington University.

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That appointment is now suspended, and the criminal case has moved into court.

WPTV reported that Caruso appeared before a Palm Beach County judge Wednesday and remained in custody pending transport to Orange County. A request for an extradition bond was denied.

The judge also imposed a broad no-contact order covering the alleged victim, immediate family members, witnesses and anyone under 18. Caruso’s attorney said his client is innocent and intends to fight the charges.

The Palm Beach proceeding did not decide probable cause because the allegations originated in Orange County. The judge set a September 2 review date so Orange County officials would have time to transport Caruso.

WPTV also reported that Shannon Ramsey-Chessman, the clerk’s chief of staff and chief deputy, was appointed interim clerk. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is overseeing the transition and guarding against the removal of files or records.

WPTV posted the first-appearance update Wednesday:

The current charges include kidnapping, lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious exhibition, luring or enticing a child, and child abuse causing mental injury.

Charges are allegations, not convictions. Whether prosecutors seek a capital charge will depend on the evidence, the grand-jury process and the exact offenses ultimately pursued.

The Florida Senate’s official summary of HB 1297 explains that capital sexual battery applies when an adult sexually batters a child under 12 or injures the child’s sexual organs while attempting that crime. A conviction can result in death or life imprisonment without parole.

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The law requires jurors to find at least two aggravating factors unanimously before a defendant becomes eligible for death. At least eight jurors must then recommend a death sentence.

Florida enacted the law in direct defiance of existing U.S. Supreme Court precedent against capital punishment for a non-homicide child-rape conviction. State lawmakers explicitly said they intended to create a vehicle for challenging that precedent.

That means any attempt to impose a death sentence would trigger a major constitutional fight. It does not make DeSantis’s warning empty.

The governor backed the law, signed it and now says it applies without regard to political friendship.

Caruso is entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence. The child at the center of this case is entitled to privacy, protection and a justice system that follows the evidence wherever it leads.

If the allegations are proven, Caruso’s old title and political connections will not save him.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.

 

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