Judge grants bond for suspended Palm Beach clerk accused of molesting child
By Bob Hazen
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ORANGE COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — An Orange County judge granted bond for suspended Palm Beach County Clerk Michael Caruso on Friday, as doubts about the case against him were raised during a court hearing.
Caruso, a former state lawmaker, is accused of repeatedly molesting a young child, including an incident in November 2024 and another on a cruise ship a year ago.
The child’s family lives in Orange County, and it was revealed in court that the child would have been about 3 years old during the first alleged instance.
During the hearing, an FDLE agent testified about allegations from other individuals connected to Caruso’s family that reportedly date back years.
“This child victim, did he call that particular instance any sort of name?” the agent was asked. “I believe it was Ticklemonster, I believe,” the agent said.
Prosecutors also raised prior allegations of similar conduct against Caruso. However, Caruso’s lawyer challenged the credibility of those claims, getting the agent to confirm that there was no proof the incidents ever occurred.
“Were they reported anywhere?” the lawyer asked.
“I believe there were some DCF reports that were unfounded,” the agent said.
“Unfounded,” the lawyer reiterated.
Caruso’s lawyer also questioned the timeline of the alleged abuse, pointing out that more than a year had passed between the last alleged incident and when law enforcement was contacted.
Caruso was present at the hearing, which determined that he could post bond and be released from jail.
The judge set Caruso’s bond at $160,000 with several conditions, including no contact with the victim, surrendering his passport and not returning to Orange County except for court appearances.
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