Judge Sets Bail for Former Palm Beach Clerk Amid Questions Over Investigation

A Palm Beach County circuit judge on Aug. 28 set bail at $160,000 for former clerk Mike Caruso and ordered him to surrender his passport, after finding flaws in the investigative report that led to his arrest. While the judge said the investigating agent was “largely credible,” he expressed concerns about the information recorded in the agent’s report and concluded the evidence did not justify pre-trial detention.

Caruso, 67, faces accusations of grooming and molesting a young relative between 2024 and 2025. He was initially booked on a no-bond warrant, but the judge ruled the case did not show a substantial probability of guilt sufficient to keep him jailed. The order also restricts Caruso from entering Orange County, where the alleged victim resides, except for scheduled court appearances.

Defense attorney Jason Weiss challenged the reliability of the allegations, pointing to gaps in the investigation and questioning the uniqueness of physical descriptions cited in the arrest affidavit. He highlighted that the child was questioned multiple times by different adults, which the investigating agent, Special Agent Reuben Roach, acknowledged exceeded typical forensic interview guidelines. Weiss also noted a month elapsed between the child’s initial disclosure to his parents and the report to law enforcement, during which family members discussed the allegations.

"While I find Agent Roach largely credible, there are some concerns I have with regards to the information that's memorialized in his report," Judge James Craner said.

"Facts may develop over time, but at this time, I cannot say that there's a substantial probability that the defendant committed the offense or subject matter of this pretrial detention motion," the judge added.

Prosecutors argued that no release conditions could protect the community, describing a pattern of alleged abuse spanning decades. They referenced testimony from one of Caruso’s adult children describing inappropriate contact in childhood. The defense maintains the accusations are fabricated, citing prior disputes with Caruso’s former spouses.

Caruso’s wife, Tracy, testified that the couple voluntarily surrendered their firearms after his arrest and that he would comply with any conditions imposed by the court.