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Posted on 06/06/2025 5:55:47 AM PDT by subterfuge
Osceola County Sheriff Marcos R. Lopez was arrested on charges related to racketeering on Thursday morning. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has suspended Lopez from his role. Christopher A. Blackmon was immediately appointed to fill Lopez's position.
(Excerpt) Read more at fox35orlando.com ...
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Apparently, Lopez was involved with this prior to being elected Sherriff. DeSantis doesn't mess around.
“By all appearances this Sherriff was a good guy”
Well, except for being bought off to look the other way regarding an illegal operation. Outside of that, maybe he was a good guy.
1 ‘R’ 2 “F’s”
Can’t help but think there might be some sheriff deputies involved.
Would be interesting to find out the crime rates in his jurisdiction and who got arrested and who did not. Maybe there are some unsolved murders of his crime rivals.
Some forms of gambling is legal in Florida, but seems like his businesses were outside of the gambling laws...very bad for Osceola and all sheriffs everywhere.
He wasn’t “bought off.” He was the ringleader and he was actively looking for properties to EXPAND the “business.”
Worse yet. Not a very good guy, by all appearances.
I was referring to the fact that he seemed tough on crime on “the news” here in central Florida. But you aren’t wrong.
I do know that Osceola County is very heavily Hispanic for whatever that’s worth. Disney World is in O.C.
Racketeering is a set of illegal activities aimed at commercial profit that may be disguised as legitimate business deals. Racketeering is defined by a coordinated effort by multiple people to repeatedly earn a profit. Typically, by fraud , extortion , bribery , threats, violence, or other illegal means. (See 18 U.S.C. § 1961 )
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) is the primary law that outlines and criminalizes racketeering activities.
Examples of racketeering activity may include: money laundering , drug trafficking , or other forms of organized crime.
Key Largo, Seminole Indians, the Osceola brothers.
“ According to the complaint, Marcos Lopez and at least four others – Ying Zhang, Sharon Fedrick, Sheldon Wetherholt, and Carol Cote – owned or operated the million-dollar social club in Kissimmee.”
Sounds like a movie plot, maybe a combination of “Porky’s” and “Roadhouse”. A whorehouse and gambling den, undoubtedly well-known by the locals in power.
LOL. Lopez is reportedly “well respected” in the community.
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