Osceola sheriff ran crime ring while helping governor oust prosecutor, state says

[Zorro]

Today I thought we’d take a look at a new poll that suggests that, while Floridians are undecided who they want as their next governor, they’re pretty united when it comes to vaccines.

But first, let’s take a closer look at some of the recent revelations about the downfall of former Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez.

You may have seen the steady stream of scandalous stories, including the Orlando Sentinel’s most recent exposé: “Marcos Lopez’s double life as Osceola cop, gambling boss.”

But there’s some important timing to note here. Authorities say Lopez had been running his illegal gambling ring since at least 2021. Yet Gov. Ron DeSantis turned to Lopez for help in DeSantis’ crusade against Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell in late 2023.

So put those two dates together. That means that, in his quest to take out the local prosecutor, the governor relied on help from a guy who the state’s own investigators now say was an alleged crime boss.

https://www.tampabay.com/viewpoints/2025/09/30/osceola-sheriff-ran-crime-ring-while-helping-governor-oust-prosecutor-state-says-column/