Palm Beach County Clerk Caruso Arrested for Child Sexual Abuse; Could Face Death Penalty Under Anti-Pedo Bill He Backed

Michael Caruso, the Republican Clerk of Palm Beach County and bosom pal of Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis and GOP Representative Randy Fine, could face the death penalty if convicted of the five child sexual abuse felonies for which he was arrested yesterday.

Cops collared Caruso — whom DeSantis appointed to the job a year to the day before he was arrested — and charged him with kidnapping and four child sexual abuse crimes. DeSantis fired Caruso on the appointment’s anniversary.

Caruso voted for — and DeSantis signed — a bill that made sexual battery of a child under 12 a capital offense.

Statement of Probable Cause

DeSantis’ edict that pink-slipped Caruso, 67, included the arrest affidavit and statement of probable cause that describe the allegations in chilling detail.

“On or about October 22, 2025, VICTIM’S father, [redacted], observed VICTIM  engaging in sexualized behavior with VICTIM’S younger brother,” the statement alleges:

Specifically, [redacted] observed VICTIM place his testicles and penis upon the face of his younger brother. He immediately intervened and VICTIM told that when on a family cruise in the summer, his grandfather, CARUSO, placed his “pp” in his mouth and “peed” and it was “nasty.“ VICTIM further disclosed that he showered with CARUSO.

Caruso continued molesting the boy, who was under age 12, in November, even on Thanksgiving Day, by touching and fondling the boy’s penis, the statement alleges. During a Caribbean cruise for which Caruso paid and that began just six days after DeSantis appointed Caruso, he molested the boy again.

“During the voyage, while in international waters, CARUSO separated the VICTIM from his parents under the stated pretext of taking the child to obtain ice cream,” the statement alleges:

VICTIM was away from his parents in CARUSO’S company for at least an hour and was not taken to get ice cream.

Upon CARUSO’S return, VICTIM’S uncle observed that CARUSO was wearing different clothing than he had been wearing when he departed with VICTIM and also noticed he was gone a long time.

The boy said Caruso again forced him to perform oral sex.

The statement says Caruso’s daughter accused him of “sexual battery.”

“[Redacted] thereafter confronted Tracy Caruso, the current spouse of CARUSO[,] regarding the disclosures,” the statement alleges:

She replied that her husband could be arrested and that the matter was, in her words, a “life in jail kinda thing.” 

On or about February 10, 2026, [redacted] again spoke with CARUSO. This conversation was recorded at the request of law enforcement. During that 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. CARUSO further stated, in substance: “If you report this to the authorities there won’t be any of me left, I can tell you that.”

Authorities charged Carouso with four felonies: 

• kidnapping, when he confined the victim on the cruise;
• lewd or lascivious molestation and lewd or lascivious exhibition, when he touched and exposed himself to the victim;
• luring or enticing a child, when he lured the victim away from his parents; and,
• child abuse (mental injury) when he molested the victim on the cruise.

Caruso claims he is innocent, as the Miami Herald reported.

The newspaper also noted that Caruso does not face sexual battery charges, although the statement of probable cause accuses the former clerk of those crimes.

Death Penalty

The question is what happens if prosecutors file a sexual battery charge and Caruso is convicted.

“Caruso’s legal woes may deepen,” the Herald observed:

Prosecutors could pursue an indictment under Florida’s new capital sexual battery law, which went into effect in 2023 and opened up the death penalty for those convicted of sexual battery of a child under 12.

In 2023, when he was in the state House, Caruso voted yes on this bill. …

When speaking Tuesday about Caruso’s arrest, DeSantis touted the new law, which he called “the death penalty for pedophiles.” 

“If he’s convicted, he’s going to be in a world of hurt,” the governor added.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sought the death penalty for Nathan Douglas Holmberg, who faced more than 47 felony counts of child molestation, including seven counts of capital sexual battery on a child under 12. Holmberg committed suicide in his jail cell on April 6.

Tight With DeSantis and Fine

Caruso was boon companions with DeSantis and Fine until yesterday. The disgraced former county clerk co-sponsored Florida’s notorious “antisemitism” bill that DeSantis signed in Jerusalem with Caruso and Fine by his side in 2023.

It was the second “antisemitism” bill DeSantis signed in Israel.