logo
Watch: Suspended Osceola sheriff appears in court, bond set at $1 million

Watch: Suspended Osceola sheriff appears in court, bond set at $1 million

Yahoo14 hours ago

A Lake County judge granted a bond Friday for suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez.
Lopez's bond was set at $1 million, $500,000 per charge he's facing.
He is facing charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering.
Investigators say he was involved in a massive illegal gambling operation that took in over $20 million.
Sheriff Lopez walked into a federal building Thursday morning, and moments later, he was stripped of his gun and his badge and placed in handcuffs.
The allegations, for a man who took an oath to protect and serve, has shaken Central Florida's law enforcement community.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Florida ex-sheriff arrested for allegedly running illegal gambling house that generated millions
Florida ex-sheriff arrested for allegedly running illegal gambling house that generated millions

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Florida ex-sheriff arrested for allegedly running illegal gambling house that generated millions

A former Florida sheriff has been charged with racketeering and conspiracy after an investigation into an illegal gambling operation. Ex-Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez was arrested Thursday on first-degree felony charges over accusations he pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars and used campaign contributions to keep the alleged gambling operation afloat. "As law enforcement, we are held to higher standards of integrity and character than other professions," Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said in a statement. "This case revealed that Lopez violated the trust and integrity expected of him as the duly elected sheriff of Osceola County." Nba Player Investigated For Allegedly Manipulating His Playing Performance To Aid Illegal Gambling Scheme Fox News Digital has reached out to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office for comment. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Lopez after his arrest and appointed a Florida Highway Patrol officer, Christopher Blackmon, as interim sheriff. Lopez was elected in November 2020. Read On The Fox News App Lopez pleaded not guilty Friday to the charges, and he was given a $1 million bond, according to Fox 35. San Bernardino Sheriff's Deputy Arrested On Felony Weapons Charges, Accused Of Ties To Outlaw Biker Gang Prosecutors alleged Friday that Lopez took in as much as $700,000 while operating the illegal business, which included slot machines, a lottery and a "gambling house" out of a business called the Fusion Social Club in Kissimmee. Lopez remained in custody as of Friday afternoon, and he is next expected in court June 30. The illegal gambling operation allegedly generated more than $21.6 million over the years. In addition to Lopez, four others — Ying Zhang, Sharon Fedrick, Sheldon Wetherholt and Carol Cote — face the same racketeering and conspiracy charges. Osceola County is not implicated in the investigation. The Associated Press contributed to this article source: Florida ex-sheriff arrested for allegedly running illegal gambling house that generated millions

Jacksonville LGBTQ+ advocate ‘disgusted' by local Republican club Facebook post
Jacksonville LGBTQ+ advocate ‘disgusted' by local Republican club Facebook post

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Jacksonville LGBTQ+ advocate ‘disgusted' by local Republican club Facebook post

LGBTQ+ advocates respond with outrage after a Facebook post from a local Republican group appeared to tie Pride Month to notorious criminals, including serial killers and sex offenders. The post, shared by the Mandarin Republican Club, included the caption: 'Happy Pride Month. So glad our Acosta Bridge was lit in their honor.' Below were images of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky, and a Georgia couple convicted of sexually assaulting their children. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Also included in the post was a photo of Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan with Andrew Gillum, a former Florida gubernatorial candidate who was involved in a sex scandal but never faced any criminal charges. LGBTQ+ community leader James Eddy called the post offensive and hateful. 'In this day and age, people on Facebook feel like they can put anything,' Eddy said. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'It's sad that it came from the Republican Party.' Eddy said he 'really was disgusted… the fact that you associate Pride—because they said 'Happy Pride' in it—with pictures of like Jeffrey Dahmer.' The post appeared to criticize a peaceful protest where supporters lit up the Acosta Bridge with flashlights. That protest was in response to a state ban on lighting public structures in specific colors, which LGBTQ+ advocates believe targets Pride celebrations. 'You know, when something is taken away, you try to fight against it,' Eddy added. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] After Action News Jax began asking questions, the post was deleted. The Duval County Republican Party responded with a statement: 'We did not push it out. We did not approve it. We did not sanction it.' Attempts to contact the head of the Mandarin Republican Club were unsuccessful. The mayor's office declined to comment. As of now, it is still unclear who within the Mandarin Republican Club was responsible for the post. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.

Marcos Lopez arrest: 2 arrested in connection to case, search for 2 still on
Marcos Lopez arrest: 2 arrested in connection to case, search for 2 still on

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Marcos Lopez arrest: 2 arrested in connection to case, search for 2 still on

The Brief Two people have been arrested in connection to the case involving suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez. One of the co-defendants has already been released on bond, and authorities are continuing to search for two others who they believe were involved. Lopez was arrested on Thursday on charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering over his alleged involvement in a major years-long illegal gambling operation. OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - Two people have been arrested in connection to the case involving suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez, officials say. One of the co-defendants has already been released on bond, and authorities are continuing to search for two others who they believe were involvedin the major years-long illegal gambling operation run out of a social club in Kissimmee. What we know According to a criminal complaint, Lopez and at least four others – Ying Zhang, Sharon Fedrick, Sheldon Wetherholt and Carol Cote – owned or operated the million-dollar social club in Kissimmee. Marion County residents Carol Cote and Sharon Fedrick were arrested on Thursday, while officials are still looking for Ying Zhang and Sheldon Wetherholt. On Friday, both Cote and Fedrick were granted bond pending trial by a Lake County judge. Fedrick's bond was set at $300,000 per count due to prior state and federal convictions, while Cote's bond was set at $100,000 for each count. Cote was released on bond later in the day. FOX 35 has learned that she has both an 8-year-old child and 2-year-old twins. Both Cote and Fedrick are scheduled to next appear in court on June 30. What we know On Thursday, Lopez was arrested on charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering over his alleged involvement in a major years-long illegal gambling operation, officials said. Lopez was booked into the Lake County Jail and suspended as Osceola County Sheriff by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. FHP's Christopher Blackmon was selected to replace him. According to the Florida Attorney General's Office and the criminal complaint, Lopez was allegedly part of a "massive Central Florida gambling operation" for years. Lopez – and others – face at least two charges: Racketeering Conspiracy to commit racketeering According to the complaint, Lopez was connected to, aware of or part of an illegal gambling operation that ran lotteries and slot machines. Officials say the organization generated more than $21.6 million in illicit proceeds. Following Lopez's election as Osceola County Sheriff in November 2020, investigators say he continued to advance the interests of the criminal organization and collected a portion of the illegal gambling proceeds for his involvement. Dig deeper Lopez was born in Chicago and raised in Central Florida. After obtaining an associate degree in criminal justice, Lopez joined the Osceola County Sheriff's Office in 2003 while serving in the Navy Reserve. He has served as sheriff since 2021 and became the first Hispanic sheriff in the county and the state. Lopez has three children, two of whom are University of Central Florida (UCF) graduates. RELATED STORIES Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez arrested on racketeering charges, officials say Who is Christopher Blackmon? Appointed Osceola County sheriff amid Marcos Lopez arrest, suspension Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez mug shot Video: Sheriff Marcos Lopez arrested Marcos Lopez arrested: What happens if he's fired as Osceola County Sheriff? STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information gathered from the Osceola County Supervisor of Elections office, the Osceola County Sheriff's Office website and shared by the Federal Department of Justice (FDOJ), Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store