Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Michael Allen Caruso , a former state representative and Palm Beach County clerk he appointed, on Tuesday after Caruso was arrested in an investigation involving a relative under 12. Authorities booked Caruso on five felony counts, including alleged child molestation, kidnapping, luring or enticing a child, lewd and lascivious exhibition, and child abuse. Reports citing an Orange County Sheriff’s Office report say Caruso allegedly targeted the child during multiple encounters, including a soccer game, a fishing trip, and a cruise. The allegations include claims that Caruso isolated the child, engaged in inappropriate touching, exposed himself, and used promises such as ice cream to separate the child from the child’s parents. What Happens to Caruso Now? The investigation began after the child’s parents reportedly noticed sexualized behavior at home. According to reports, investigators interviewed the child about the alleged incidents, and Caruso denied the accusations when confronted in December; he allegedly warned the child’s father that reporting the claims could send him to jail. Caruso served in the Florida House from 2018 through last year and was considered a political ally of DeSantis, who once called him a “legend” for supporting an immigration bill. DeSantis replaced Caruso as clerk with interim official Shannon Ramsey-Chessman, while Caruso remains jailed without bond pending his first court appearance. Earlier allegations have also resurfaced, including a claim by Caruso’s first wife, Beverly, involving a child that Caruso previously denied. Records reportedly show multiple reports to Florida’s Department of Children and Families, although the underlying details are not public; the criminal investigation remains ongoing, and the allegations have not been proven in court.