Former Florida state legislator Michael Caruso was arrested this week on charges that he sexually abused his own grandson — a crime that could expose him to the death penalty under a law he voted to pass just three years ago.
Caruso, the current Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts, was arrested Tuesday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and immediately suspended from office by Governor Ron DeSantis, who had appointed him as clerk just one year prior.
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. He is being held without bond at the Orange County Jail.
The alleged victim is his grandson, a boy under the age of 12. According to the arrest affidavit, the abuse spanned nearly a year:
- Thanksgiving 2024: The child told investigators that Caruso molested him during a family gathering, playing a game called “tickle monster” that involved inappropriate touching.
- A Fishing Trip: Caruso allegedly touched the boy inappropriately while they were alone at a pond.
- A Family Cruise: The most serious allegations center on a seven-day Royal Caribbean cruise aboard the Icon of the Seas in August 2025. Investigators say Caruso separated the victim from his parents under the guise of getting ice cream, then assaulted him in his stateroom and showered with him. The boy’s uncle later recalled that Caruso returned wearing different clothes.
The abuse came to light in October 2025 when the boy’s father noticed his son behaving in a sexualized manner with a sibling. When confronted, the child disclosed the abuse.
Denials and Warning
When Caruso’s son confronted him about the allegations, he denied them and suggested his ex-wife had fabricated the story, calling her “evil” and saying she had “poisoned the child against him.
During a recorded conversation in February 2026, Caruso claimed the allegations were “impossible” because he is attracted to women and “sexual deviation is directed towards one sex, not two.”
He also warned his family: “If you report this to authorities there won’t be any of me left, I can tell you that.”
The Law He Voted For
While serving in the Florida House in 2023, Caruso voted in favor of HB 1297, a bill that allows prosecutors to seek the death penalty for adults convicted of sexually battering a child under 12. Governor DeSantis signed the law, which took effect in October 2023 — before the alleged abuse in this case began.
The law states that such crimes “destroy the innocence of a young child and violate all standards of decency held by civilized society.”
Could Caruso Face the Death Penalty?
While Caruso has not yet been charged with capital sexual battery, prosecutors have indicated they may present the case to a grand jury for such an indictment.
The alleged conduct described in the affidavit — forcing the child to perform oral sex — could fall within Florida’s statutory definition of sexual battery. If indicted and convicted, Caruso could face death or life in prison.