Florida ex-sheriff arrested for allegedly running illegal gambling house that generated millions

A former Florida sheriff has been charged with racketeering and conspiracy after an study into an illegal gambling operation Ex-Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez was arrested Thursday on first-degree felony charges over accusations he pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars and used campaign contributions to keep the alleged gambling operation afloat As law enforcement we are held to higher standards of integrity and character than other professions Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass disclosed in a message This affair revealed that Lopez violated the trust and integrity expected of him as the duly elected sheriff of Osceola County NBA PARTICIPANT INVESTIGATED FOR ALLEGEDLY MANIPULATING HIS PLAYING PERFORMANCE TO AID ILLEGAL GAMBLING SCHEMEFox News Digital has reached out to the Osceola County Sheriff s Office for comment Florida Gov Ron DeSantis suspended Lopez after his arrest and appointed a Florida Highway Patrol officer Christopher Blackmon as interim sheriff Lopez was elected in November Lopez pleaded not guilty Friday to the charges and he was given a million bond according to FOX SAN BERNARDINO SHERIFF'S DEPUTY ARRESTED ON FELONY WEAPONS CHARGES ACCUSED OF TIES TO OUTLAW BIKER GANGProsecutors alleged Friday that Lopez took in as much as while operating the illegal business which included slot machines a lottery and a gambling house out of a business called the Fusion Social Club in Kissimmee Lopez remained in custody as of Friday afternoon and he is next expected in court June The illegal gambling operation allegedly generated more than million over the years In addition to Lopez four others Ying Zhang Sharon Fedrick Sheldon Wetherholt and Carol Cote face the same racketeering and conspiracy charges CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Osceola County is not implicated in the study The Associated Press contributed to this review