Former Sheriff Marcos Lopez court hearing canceled
ORLANDO, Fla. - Former Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez's court hearing that was scheduled for Wednesday, June 11 has been canceled, according to court documents.
Court hearing canceled
What we know:
The court hearing, which was scheduled due to the filing of a motion to reduce or modify Lopez's million-dollar bond, has not yet been rescheduled.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Lopez has remained in jail since his June 5 arrest, held on a $1 million bond for charges of racketeering and conspiracy, according to officials.
Waiting for suspended Sheriff Marcos Lopez to bond out
FOX 35 is staying on top of the case of now suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez. Our teams have been live outside of the jail waiting to see if Lopez posts the million dollar bond the judge had set Friday.
Marcos Lopez allegedly part of ‘massive Central Florida gambling operation’
What we know:
Lopez was arrested on charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering over his alleged involvement in a major years-long illegal gambling operation, officials said.
Lopez was booked into the Lake County Jail and suspended as Osceola County Sheriff by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. FHP's Christopher Blackmon was selected to replace him.
According to the Florida Attorney General's Office and the criminal complaint, Lopez was allegedly part of a "massive Central Florida gambling operation" for years.
Lopez – and others – face at least two charges:
- Racketeering
- Conspiracy to commit racketeering
According to the complaint, Lopez was connected to, aware of or part of an illegal gambling operation that ran lotteries and slot machines. Officials say the organization generated more than $21.6 million in illicit proceeds.
Following Lopez's election as Osceola County Sheriff in November 2020, investigators say he continued to advance the interests of the criminal organization and collected a portion of the illegal gambling proceeds for his involvement.
Confidential informant listed in Marcos Lopez court doc
According to court documents released today, state prosecutors have a confidential informant in the illegal gambling investigation of suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez in connection with his alleged involvement in an illegal gambling club in Kissimmee that netted $21.6 million. James Copenhaver, former sheriff's detective and investigator joins FOX 35's Marlisa Goldsmith live via Zoom to break down the investigation and the next steps in the legal case against Marcos Lopez.
2 out of 4 arrested in connection, both bonded out
Dig deeper:
According to a criminal complaint, Lopez and at least four others – Ying Zhang, Sharon Fedrick, Sheldon Wetherholt and Carol Cote – owned or operated the million-dollar social club in Kissimmee.
Marion County residents Carol Cote and Sharon Fedrick were arrested on Thursday, while officials are still looking for Ying Zhang and Sheldon Wetherholt.
On Friday, both Cote and Fedrick were granted bond pending trial by a Lake County judge. Fedrick's bond was set at $300,000 per count due to prior state and federal convictions, while Cote's bond was set at $100,000 for each count.
Cote was released on bond later in the day. FOX 35 has learned that she has both an 8-year-old child and 2-year-old twins.
Fedrick bonded out Monday night.
Both Cote and Fedrick are scheduled to next appear in court on June 30.
Co-defendant in Lopez's alleged gambling scheme posts bail
Sharon Fedrick, one of the two people arrested in connection to the case involving suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez, posted bail Monday night.
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The Source: This story was written based on information gathered from online Lake County court records on June 10, 2025. Additional details about Lopez's arrest and suspension were shared by the Federal Department of Justice (FDOJ), and the office of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.