Governor Ron DeSantis on Tuesday suspended Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Michael Allen Caruso from office after his arrest by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The suspension is effective immediately. Caruso faces five felony counts: kidnapping, lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious exhibition, luring or enticing a child, and child abuse causing mental injury.
According to the arrest warrant and supporting affidavit from FDLE Special Agent Reuben Roach, the alleged victim is Caruso’s grandson, a boy under the age of 12 who lives in Orange County with his parents and younger brother.
The affidavit states that the boy disclosed incidents to his father in October 2025 after the father observed sexualized behavior between the siblings. The child later told investigators about alleged acts that occurred during a family fishing outing near a pond in late 2024, at a residence around Thanksgiving 2024, and during a seven-day Royal Caribbean cruise on the Icon of the Seas that sailed from Port Miami in late August 2025.
The affidavit describes Caruso isolating the child during the cruise under the pretext of getting ice cream, with the boy later reporting sexual contact and a shared shower. Family members noted that Caruso returned in different clothing after an extended absence.
The boy’s parents confronted Caruso in December 2025 and again in February 2026. During those recorded conversations, Caruso admitted taking the child fishing and isolating him on the cruise but denied the sexual allegations. He also made statements including that reporting the claims would result in his arrest and that “there won’t be any of me left.”
The affidavit further states that the boy has been receiving therapeutic services since about April 2026 for trauma-related responses. Probable cause was found for the charges based on the child’s disclosures, parental observations, and Caruso’s statements.
In the executive order, DeSantis cited Article IV of the Florida Constitution, which allows the governor to suspend a county officer for commission of a felony. The order finds that Caruso’s actions as detailed in the arrest documents constitute the commission of a felony. It prohibits him from performing any official duties, receiving pay, or accessing the privileges of the office during the suspension. FDLE was directed to assist with the transition and ensure no files, records, or electronic devices are removed from the clerk’s office.
The suspension remains in effect until a further executive order or as otherwise provided by law. The case is pending in the Ninth Judicial Circuit in Orange County.
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