Palm Beach County Clerk of Court Michael Caruso arrested in ongoing investigation

Palm Beach County Clerk of Court Michael Caruso was arrested Tuesday morning on charges related to child sexual abuse, according to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. Uthmeier said the arrest was made with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and local law enforcement agencies. The investigation remains ongoing. According to charging documents, Caruso faces multiple charges, including kidnapping, lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious exhibition, luring or enticing a child, and child abuse causing mental injury. Hours after the arrest, Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Caruso from office. "Today, Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Mike Caruso following his arrest by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement," the governor's office said in a statement. Following the arrest, the Clerk's office said it had been notified Tuesday morning that Caruso was arrested on "serious criminal charges" and is awaiting additional information from the Governor's Office regarding next steps. "While this is surprising news for our entire team, it does not change who we are at the Clerk's office or our commitment to the community and customers we serve," the statement said. The office said its operations will continue uninterrupted. "For decades, the Clerk's office in Palm Beach County has consistently stood for professionalism and outstanding service for our customers. That focus remains for every one of our 650 employees," the statement said. This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV