OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez is heading into 2026 at the center of one of Central Florida’s most closely watched criminal cases, facing racketeering charges that prosecutors say they can prove using a trail of documents, digital records and insider testimony.
Lopez, who was suspended from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis following his arrest in June, has pleaded not guilty to allegations that he helped run a multi-million-dollar illegal gambling network centered on arcades and casinos operating in Lake and Osceola counties.
Court records in the case describe undercover surveillance operations, body-worn camera footage, search warrants at homes, warehouses and storage units, and the seizure of gambling machines and cash tied to multiple gaming rooms…