Florida Sheriff Known for Crime Scene Gaffe Arrested in $21M Gambling, Corruption Case
Posted on: June 6, 2025, 11:59h.
Last updated on: June 6, 2025, 11:59h.
- Sheriff Lopez accused of shielding illegal gambling enterprise.
- $21M gambling ring operated across central Florida counties.
- Lopez bond set at $1million, suspended by Governor DeSantis.
A Florida sheriff who faced criticism last year for accidentally posting a crime scene image of a dead teenager to Instagram has been arrested and charged in connection with a sprawling illegal gambling operation.
Prosecutors accuse Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez of playing a “multifaceted role” in expanding and protecting the operation, which they say generated more than $21 million and involved widespread public corruption.
Racketeering Charges
Lopez, who was elected sheriff in 2020 and re-elected in 2024, is facing one count of racketeering and one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering after his June 5 arrest. On Friday, a judge in Osceola County set Lopez’s bond at $1 million.
The illegal gambling ring was uncovered during a 2023 multi-agency investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The scheme operated primarily in Osceola and Lake counties and centered around a business in Kissimmee called Fusion Social Club — also operating as Eclipse Social Club — which allegedly ran an illegal lottery and housed slot machines.
The operation began in 2019 and continued until at least early 2024, according to prosecutors. From mid-2022, Lopez and four associates allegedly managed the club and profited from its activities.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s office said the investigation is ongoing, with additional charges possible. Lopez is accused of initially participating in the criminal enterprise for personal gain, including cash payouts and campaign contributions, before using his elected office to shield the organization from scrutiny.
Four others — Ying Zhang, Sharon Fedrick, Sheldon Wetherholt, and Carol Cote — were also charged with racketeering and conspiracy. Fedrick and Cote were booked into the Lake County Jail on June 5 and are being held without bond.
Lopez has been suspended from office following an executive order signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R). The governor has appointed Christopher Blackmon, the central region chief of the Florida Highway Patrol, as interim sheriff.
Betrayal of Trust
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said in a statement that Lopez had betrayed the trust placed in him as an elected law enforcement leader.
Lopez, a Navy veteran and the first Hispanic sheriff in Osceola County, made international headlines last year when he inadvertently posted an image of the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto to Instagram with the caption “Great day with our seniors. #florida #senior @sheriffmarcoslopez.”
Soto went missing in February 2024. Her mother’s boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, was later charged with her murder. He is scheduled to be tried in September.
Last Comments ( 1 )
Bum, dishonor to the badge.