OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Osceola County’s newly appointed Sheriff Chris Blackmon anticipates additional charges against individuals within his own department as investigations continue into the administration of former Sheriff Marcos Lopez .
Blackmon, appointed 10 weeks ago after Lopez was removed on racketeering charges, described an intense process of reviewing the office’s operations.
Two weeks ago, two sheriff’s employees, including a deputy, were arrested amid this ongoing probe.
Blackmon revealed that his internal affairs team has been examining cases from the past four years and five months, predominantly under Lopez’s administration, leading to potential further charges against both deputies and civilians.
Multiple audits are underway, including financial reviews and an extensive inventory check of over 200,000 pieces of evidence, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
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The office also faces staffing challenges, currently with 42 vacancies. Blackmon expressed his intention to refocus on traditional law enforcement duties while restructuring and policing the department internally.