MEDIA ARTICLE: Judge sets $160K bond for suspended Palm Beach County official on child sex abuse charges (Sun Sentinel, 8-28-26)

 Judge sets $160K bond for suspended Palm Beach County official on child sex abuse charges

Michael Caruso, the former Palm Beach County clerk of court, appears at a bond hearing on Friday in his child sexual abuse case at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)

By Eric Weiss | WPEC-CBS12

PUBLISHED: August 28, 2026 at 2:40 PM EDT

A judge on Friday set a total bond of $160,000 for suspended Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller Michael Caruso, denying prosecutors’ request to hold him without bond as he faces five felony child sexual abuse-related charges.

Caruso, 67, appeared for a pretrial detention hearing on Friday in Orlando before Judge A. James Craner. Court records show bond was set at $50,000 each on the first three counts and $5,000 each on the remaining two counts. Caruso faces charges of kidnapping, lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious exhibition, luring or enticing a child and child abuse causing mental injury.

The judge ordered Caruso to have no direct or indirect contact with alleged victims or witnesses, surrender his passport, refrain from returning to Orange County except for future court hearings and not own or possess firearms.

FDLE Special Agent Reuben Roach testified for prosecutors during Friday’s hearing. Caruso’s wife, Tracy Caruso, testified for the defense. Caruso was also sworn in during the hearing, records show.

Caruso was arrested on Aug. 18, and an arrest affidavit alleges he sexually abused a child younger than 12 on three separate occasion. Caruso has denied the allegations.

Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Caruso from office after his arrest.

Caruso was appointed clerk and comptroller by DeSantis in August 2025, and his name will remain on the November ballot as the Republican candiate for the position since he was unopposed in the primary and the primary results have been certified. Caruso could still resign as a candidate and be replaced by the party if he wants to, but his name would still appear on the ballot. If he resigns and his name is on the ballot, notices would inform voters that casting a vote for him would count as a vote for the replacement candidate.

WPEC-CBS12 is a news partner of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

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