Florida State Representative Mike Caruso Arrested on Multiple Child Sexual Abuse Charges

WEST PALM BEACH, FL — Florida State Representative Mike Caruso (R-Delray Beach) was arrested Tuesday by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement on multiple felony charges of child sexual abuse and possession of child exploitation material.

Unsealed Indictment and Taskforce Findings

According to an unsealed affidavit filed in the 15th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, the arrest follows a six-month undercover operation conducted by the multi-agency Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) taskforce. Investigators executed search warrants at Caruso's residential and accounting offices in Delray Beach, seizing digital servers and encrypted devices containing illicit media.

Caruso, who has represented District 87 in the Florida House of Representatives since 2018, was booked into the Palm Beach County Main Detention Center without bond pending an initial court appearance.

Legislative and Executive Reactions

Florida House Speaker Paul Renner issued an immediate statement stripping Caruso of all committee assignments and demanding his immediate resignation from the Legislature. Governor Ron DeSantis's office indicated that an executive suspension order is being finalized pursuant to Article IV, Section 7 of the Florida Constitution.

Civic leaders and child protection advocates in Palm Beach County expressed shock at the allegations, praising law enforcement for thorough forensic investigative work.

Criminal Court Proceedings

The Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office confirmed that prosecutors will seek pre-trial detention during a formal bond hearing scheduled for Thursday morning before Circuit Judge Glenn Kelley.