Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno faces a possible federal probe after an associate leaked a conversation relating to allegations of money laundering that netted him a $45,000 ring, a Mercedes and other high-ticket items less than two months before an election.
Details of the probe involving Marceno first came to light Thursday through Florida Trident, published by the Florida Center for Government Accountability.
Marceno’s opponent in the November election, Michael Hollow, a 17-year veteran of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and former Internal Affairs commander, told The News-Press he recorded a call between him and honorary deputy Ken Romano, 55.
Hollow said he met with the FBI and U.S. Assistant Attorney May 21.
Hollow said Romano was aware of his intent to record the conversation and give it to authorities including the FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Romano did not immediately return calls for comment.
In an emailed statement, the FBI’s press office wrote that due to “longstanding” Department of Justice policy, the FBI “neither confirms nor denies the existence of an investigation.”