Osceola County Sheriff Held in Jail Over Illegal Gambling Scheme
Osceola County, FL — Suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez is currently detained at Lake County Jail, linked to an alleged illegal gambling operation. Dressed in an orange jumpsuit after trading in his sheriff’s uniform, Lopez appeared virtually in court, focused solely on his release: “How do I start the bail process?”
Lopez faces a $1 million bond for racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering charges, needing $100,000 to post bail. His lawyer says his family can only cover a small portion, keeping him behind bars for now.
Two others are also charged in the case. Sharon Fedrick, with a criminal record stretching back to the 1990s and a pending fraud case in Orange County, is held on a $300,000 bond. Prosecutors cited her involvement in criminal use of personal identification, a fraud scheme, and conspiracy to defraud. The third co-defendant, Carol Cote, was freed after paying bail but made news by flipping off cameras as she exited.
Details of the investigation remain limited, with over 200 pages of documents set to be released next week, clarifying the charges. Two other suspects, Sheldon Wetherhold and Ying Zhang, are still not in custody, and authorities are working to apprehend them.
Following Lopez’s suspension, Governor Ron DeSantis named Chris Blackmon as interim sheriff to steer the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. Kim Montes, a former colleague, said Blackmon aims to rebuild public confidence: “He’ll prioritize the community to restore trust in the sheriff’s office.”
Lopez could appear in court in person as early as Monday, though this awaits confirmation. We’ll keep tracking this unfolding story as more information surfaces.
