A Florida politician may end up on death row. If that happens, he’ll have put himself there in more ways than one. Police arrested Palm Beach County clerk of courts and comptroller Mike Caruso on Tuesday on five felony charges.
The 67-year-old allegedly molested a minor relative on multiple occasions.
As a former state lawmaker, Caruso voted for legislation that allows prosecutors to seek the death penalty for child rapists.
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Allegations
Investigators say the abuse took place between fall 2024 and August 2025.
Among the incidents was a family vacation, where Caruso allegedly separated the child from their parents by promising ice cream, only to molest them.
The child was reportedly under 5 years old at the time.
Caruso also allegedly exposed himself to the child numerous times.
The abuse reportedly came to light when the child’s father found him acting sexually with a sibling.
This is also not the first time Caruso was accused of sexually abusing the child. His ex-wife accused him of similar crimes in divorce filings, but Caruso dismissed those allegations as false.
Death penalty
Three years ago, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a package of legislation into law aimed at fighting crime and promoting public safety.
Among that legislation was House Bill 1297. That allows the death penalty for anyone convicted of capital sexual battery against children under age 12.
Caruso was one of the 95 House members to vote in favor of the bill.
That law has faced some legal pushback, specifically in the case of Joseph Giampa, who faced numerous charges related to sexually abusing a child under 12.
Prosecutors sought the death penalty, but Giampa’s lawyers argued the new law was in violation of a 2008 Supreme Court decision. Kennedy v. Louisiana ruled the death penalty cannot be imposed on child rapists if the victim did not die.
Giampa ended up taking a plea agreement so the argument was never fully decided.
It’s unclear if prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Caruso, who may still face additional charges.
Political career
While Caruso’s life could come to an end because of these allegations, his political career already has for the time being.
DeSantis has suspended him from his current roles as clerk of courts and comptroller.
“Being in a position of public trust provides no shield from accountability,” Attorney General James Uthmeier said in a statement to the Miami Herald.
Caruso is still running for reelection this November, which is where the future gets murky. No Republican ran against him in the primary.
He could withdraw, be removed from the ballot or remain the nominee while fighting this critical case. Unless he’s convicted before November, there’s little Florida election officials can do to remove him.
His Democratic opponent is Boca Raton City Council Member Yvette Drucker. She already had a double-digit lead in polling and has not commented on Caruso’s charges.
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