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The Central Florida sheriff has been arrested and charged in connection with a massive gambling operation and a public corruption scheme that generated more than $21 million in profits, authorities announced June 5.
Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez has been charged with one count of assault and one count of conspiracy to commit assault, Florida Attorney General James Usmier’s office said in a statement. Online prisoner records showed Lopez was booked to a Lake County jail near Florida on the morning of June 5th.
He is being held unconfined and is scheduled to appear in court on June 30th, according to inmate records. It is unknown if Lopez has an attorney.
Uthmeier’s office noted that the investigation remains ongoing and other claims could be announced at a later date.
According to Uthmeier’s office, Lopez was originally said to have used his position of “protecting businesses from law enforcement” after taking part in the operations for personal payments and campaign contributions. Lopez was elected sheriff in 2020 and re-elected in 2024.
After his arrest, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order that would stop Lopez from his position. The governor has appointed Christopher Blackmon, the Central Regional Chief of the Florida Highway Patrol, as county sheriff.
Osceola County Manager Don Fisher said in a statement that the county did not play a role in the investigation as the sheriff is another constitutional officer and is a constitutional officer other than the county or county commission. He added that county officials are ready to assist Blackmon as interim sheriff.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to USA Today’s request for comment on June 5th.
“As law enforcement, we are bound by a higher standard and character standard than any other profession. This case revealed that Lopez violated the trust and integrity expected of him as a formally elected sheriff of Osceola County.” “The Florida Sheriff is the leader of their community and the citizens who have elected them, not just their offices and deputies.”
“The multifaceted role in the expansion and protection of this illegal company.”
Uthmeier’s office accused Lopez of “playing a multifaceted role in expanding and protecting this illegal company.” Prosecutors said a multi-agency investigation led by the Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) discovered alleged crime organisations in 2023, with the support of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The investigation revealed that the organization operates illegal gambling companies in central Florida, particularly Lake and Osceola County. The operation is said to have generated more than $21.6 million in illegal revenue.
Following the November 2020 election as sheriff, prosecutors said Lopez “continued to advance the profits” of the organization and collected some of the gambling proceeds for his involvement.
According to state accusations documents, the four Uthmeier described as sheriff’s allegedly accused of assault and conspiracy. The four were identified as Ying Zhang, Sharon Fedrick, Sheldon Wetherholt and Carol Cote.
According to the charging documents, the operation began at least in 2019 and lasted until at least 2024. Since around June 2022, Lopez and his four associates owned or managed a “gambling house” of a business known as the Fusion Social Club or Eclipse Social Club, according to charging documents.
The business that ran the lottery and owned slot machines is located in Kissimmee, Osceola County, central Florida, just south of Orlando, and the charging documents say.
In a social media post on June 5th, the US Department of Homeland Security shared a video showing HSI agents arresting Lopez.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, no one, including civil servants, has surpassed the law,” the department said in the post.
Prosecutors said other arrest warrants are expected to be issued in the coming days. Inmate records showed that Fedric and Court were booked at Lake County Jail on the afternoon and evening of June 5th. The event will be held without being held and will appear in court on June 30th.
Latest investigations including the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office
According to a biography on the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office website, Lopez, born in Chicago and raised in Central Florida, was first elected sheriff in 2020. He was sworn in on January 5, 2021 and became the first Hispanic sheriff in the county and state.
Lopez joined the Sheriff’s Office in 2003 while serving in the Naval Reserve, the website says. According to the website, he previously served in the US military for 22 years and has received multiple awards and acclaim throughout his career.
Lopez and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office have been involved in other investigations in recent years. In December 2024, Lopez agreed to not contest the civil offences and pay a $250 fine for posting a photo of the body on his personal Instagram page, Fox 35 Orlando and WFTV reported.
The image is of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, who disappeared from his home in Kissimmee in February 2024. Her body was found a few days later, and the girl’s mother’s boyfriend was charged with her death.
Lopez and the Sheriff’s Office were also shot dead in 2022, and then scrutinized in 2022, according to local television station WESH. Authorities said Wesh reported that the 20-year-old group and the group he was with were accused of stealing pizza and Pokemon cards from Kissimmee’s target store.
According to WESH, the large ju court refused to file accusations in the case, but criticized the sheriff’s office for dealing with the case. The large ju judge recommended changes to law enforcement-involved shooting policies and procedures, Wesh reported.
“Our conclusion is that this should not happen,” the big ju judge said according to the public media in Central Florida. “Our findings revealed serious concerns about whether appropriate force was used to arrest misdemeanor shoplifters and the inadequate situation of poor training and lack of communication around vehicle blocks rendered an unnecessary inadequate situation.”
