Executive leader at Osceola County Sheriff's Office terminated, officials say
Executive leader removed from sheriff's website
The online profile for the Osceola County Sheriff's Office Executive Director Nirva Rodriguez has been removed from the sheriff's office website. Right now, there is no indication Rodriguez is under any sort of investigation or part of the alleged illegal gambling scheme Sheriff Marcos Lopez was arrested in on Thursday.
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - The online profile for Osceola County Sheriff's Office Executive Director Nirva Rodriguez has been removed from the agency's website.
On Monday, the sheriff's office confirmed that she has been terminated, though no additional details about her dismissal have been released.
At this time, there is no indication that Rodriguez was under investigation or connected to the alleged illegal gambling scheme that led to the arrest of suspended Sheriff Marcos Lopez last week.
Nirva Rodriguez (Credit: Osceola County Sheriff's Office)
Nirva Rodriguez statement:
What they're saying:
"I am releasing this statement to address my recent termination from the Osceola County Sheriff's Office. I want to emphasize that my termination is a separate matter from the suspension of former Sheriff Marcos Lopez by the Governor of Florida. I have no knowledge of the allegations against the former sheriff and I am not involved in that investigation. As an at-will employee, I understand that my employment can be terminated at any time without cause. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served the citizens of Osceola County, and I am proud of the good work that was accomplished during my time at the agency. I feel blessed to have been a part of the team and to have had the chance to make a positive impact in the community. I appreciate the experience and wish the agency and its employees all the best in their future endeavors. God bless you all!"
What was Marcos Lopez arrested for?
The backstory:
Lopez was arrested on June 5 on charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering, according to officials.
That same day, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order removing Lopez from his position as sheriff. He appointed Christopher Blackmon, Central Region Chief of the Florida Highway Patrol, to serve as interim sheriff of Osceola County.
Lopez is being held in the Lake County jail on a $1 million bond. As of Monday morning, he has not posted bond and remains in jail.
Will ex-Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez bond out?
Suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez remains in the Lake County jail where he is being held on a $1 million bond.
Lopez – and three others – allegedly operated an illegal gambling business in Kissimmee where people could play the lottery and play slot machines. Lopez is also accused of attempting to hinder the investigation into the business, though specific details on that were not released.
In arguing for the high bond, a federal prosecutor alleged that Lopez had received between $600,000 and $700,000 in payments connected to the alleged illegal gambling operation over the years. The prosecutor said there are direct text messages and other messages that implicate Lopez.
The state also filed a motion to require Lopez and his team to disclose the source of the money used to post bail, if he does.
If released, Lopez must wear a GPS monitor, surrender his passport and firearms, and disclose the source of his bail funds.
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The Source: This story was written based on information gathered from the Osceola County Sheriff's Office. Additional details about Lopez's arrest and suspension were shared by the Federal Department of Justice (FDOJ), and the office o Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.