Two members of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office were fired the same day the former sheriff, Marcos Lopez, was arrested.
On Thursday, Lopez was arrested and faces state charges of racketeering related to illegal gambling. He was taken to Lake County Jail, where he remains in custody.
On Friday, Lopez made his first appearance in court, pleading “not guilty” on both racketeering charges.
He faces a $1 million bond and is scheduled for arraignment at the end of the month.
Following the arrest, Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Lopez from his position through an executive order. Christopher Blackmon, the central regional chief for the Florida Highway Patrol, replaces Lopez during the suspension
On that same day of Lopez’s arrest, executive director Nirva Rodriguez and a civilian employee, Ruben De Jesus, were terminated from their positions, according to OSCO Detective Richard Serrano. Serrano said he was not able to confirm if the terminations were related to the Lopez investigation.
Rodriguez had served under Lopez's tenure as sheriff, starting in 2021.
In a statement sent to Central Florida Public Media Tuesday, Rodriguez said her termination was separate from Lopez’s suspension.
“I have no knowledge of the allegations against the former sheriff, and I am not involved in that investigation,” she wrote.
“As an at-will employee, I understand that my employment can be terminated at any time without cause. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served the citizens of Osceola County, and I am proud of the good work that was accomplished during my time at the agency. I feel blessed to have been a part of the team and to have had the chance to make a positive impact in the community. I appreciate the experience and wish the agency and its employees all the best in their future endeavors. God bless you all!”
De Jesus could not be reached for comment, but OCSO said that he was also an at-will employee, meaning he could be terminated without cause.
Lopez faces two charges of racketeering. According to court records, Lopez owned and operated the Fusion Social Club located on 4561 Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway in Kissimmee, which was used as a gambling house with slot machines.
Last week, State Attorney General James Uthmeir said the investigation is ongoing and expects more arrests to be made in the coming days.
