Suspended Palm Beach County clerk Mike Caruso stays free on bond in child abuse case
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The gist
A Florida judge denied prosecutors' second bid to jail suspended Palm Beach County Clerk Mike Caruso, who faces five felony charges.
Caruso remains on the Nov. 3 ballot against Democrat Yvette Drucker.
Background
Mike Caruso is the suspended Palm Beach County Clerk of Court & Comptroller, a Republican and former Florida state representative who was appointed clerk by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2025. He faces five felony charges and has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty. DeSantis suspended him immediately after his arrest and appointed Shannon Ramsey-Chessman as interim clerk, while Caruso was seeking election to keep the post. The case drew wider attention after a photograph reportedly showing Trump with Caruso circulated online.
How it unfolded
- 2024 –2025The alleged incidents reportedly occurred between late 2024 and August 2025 during family outings.
- 2025Caruso, a Republican, was appointed Palm Beach County Clerk by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
- Aug 19, 2025Caruso attends a county commission meeting in downtown West Palm Beach as the new county clerk.
- Aug 18, 2026Caruso was arrested; Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended him from office the same day.
- Aug 2026At a detention hearing, prosecutors argued Caruso poses too great a risk to be free; the judge said he had concerns about the evidence and set bail at $160,000, ordering Caruso to stay out of Orange County except on court days.
- Oct 16, 2026A social media post about Caruso circulated; the photograph's date and circumstances have not been established.
- Oct 19, 2026Circuit Judge James Craner denied prosecutors' request for reconsideration of his August detention decision.
- Oct 22, 2026Reports that the judge denied the request to revoke or reconsider Caruso's release on bond; Caruso's attorney called the ruling expected.
- Oct 23, 2026Yvette Drucker speaks publicly for the first time about Caruso's arrest in an exclusive WPBF 25 News interview.
Who’s saying what
- Prosecutors
- Argue no condition of release could stop Caruso from interfering with the case, saying he is too intertwined with the community and has too many relationships of trust that could be used to manipulate or coerce people.
- Judge
- Judge James Craner said facts may develop over time but that at this time he cannot say there is a substantial probability the defendant committed the offense.
- Defense
- Attorney Jason Weiss called the ruling expected and questioned the investigation's strength, citing repeated and potentially leading interviews with the accuser, inconsistent accounts and missing cruise ship records.
- Party
- Democrat candidate Yvette Drucker said she was stunned by the arrest and that it changed everything.
- Official
- Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said being in a position of public trust provides no shield from accountability.
Still unverified
The date and circumstances of the photograph reportedly featuring Trump with Caruso have not been established. Prosecutors asked the Sixth District Court of Appeal to review Craner's August decision, and the appeals court did not immediately rule.