Robin Lynn Severance Lopez: Wife of suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez in court
Florida judge rejects low bond for estranged wife of suspended sheriff
The estranged wife of suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez was ordered held on a $400,000 bond after prosecutors alleged she played a key role in a multimillion-dollar illegal gambling operation tied to her husband.
TAVARES, Fla. - Robin Lynn Severance Lopez, the estranged wife of suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez, made her first court appearance Tuesday after being booked on charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering and conspiracy to use or invest proceeds from racketeering.
What we know:
Robin Lynn Severance Lopez, 50, is being held on a $400,000 bond.
Prosecutors allege she was directly involved in an illegal gambling operation tied to her husband, helping to move and receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit funds. Authorities say the scheme generated at least $600,000 to $700,000 in illegal transactions.
She was arrested with two bank slips totaling nearly $180,000 in deposits made shortly after her husband's arrest. Prosecutors also claim she had consistent access to large sums of money that far exceeded her reported income of $1,300 per month from a part-time job.
Who is Robin Lynn Severance Lopez?
HSI Tampa described Robin Lynn Severance Lopez as the "estranged wife" of suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez. The two were married in 2007 in St. Cloud, Florida, according to public records.
Officials noted that the couple have been separated since 2019, with divorce proceedings pending since 2023. They do not live together and share custody of a 15-year-old child.
Bond set for wife of ex-Osceola County sheriff
Robin Lynn Severance Lopez, the wife of suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez, made her first court appearance Tuesday after being booked on charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering and conspiracy to use or invest proceeds from racketeering.A Lake County judge set her bond at $400,000. If she posts bond, she will be placed on GPS monitoring, must surrender her passport and any firearms within 24 hours of release, and is prohibited from having any contact with Marcos Lopez.
Despite their estrangement, prosecutors allege Severance-Lopez attempted to assist her husband in posting his $1 million bond. Her last known ticket was issued in 2014 before she filed a failed disability claim.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear exactly how deeply involved Severance-Lopez was in the operational aspects of the alleged gambling ring. Prosecutors have not specified whether she was aware of all the details or whether she acted under influence or pressure. The nature and extent of her communication with other alleged co-conspirators also hasn’t been fully detailed.
What was Marcos Lopez arrested for?
The backstory:
Marcos 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.
Suspended Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez still in jail
Suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopes remains in the Lake County jail following his arrest in an alleged illegal gambling scheme. He is being held on a million-dollar bond. 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.
Lopez is being held in the Lake County jail on a $1 million bond. As of Tuesday morning, he has not posted bond and remains in jail.
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.
What they're saying:
Robin Lynn Severance Lopez appeared stunned in court as a judge denied her defense attorney’s request for a $50,000 bond. Prosecutors argued a higher amount was necessary to ensure she appears for future court proceedings and to verify any bail funds come from legal sources.
"She helped to facilitate the movement of illicit money and receipt of illicit payments from other co-conspirators to Lopez, which is believed to have reached at least $600,000 to $700,000," Assistant State Attorney Colleen Monroe said in court.
A former Osceola County deputy, she claimed she only earns $1,300 monthly from a part-time job and has $123,000 in her bank account, according to investigators. However, prosecutors say she was arrested with bank slips showing nearly $180,000 in deposits made shortly after her husband’s arrest.
"Since the beginning of this conspiracy — through even today’s date — the defendant has had access to large amounts of cash, including deposits, withdrawals and acquisitions that far exceed her legitimate employment, business, or retirement income," Monroe added.
Defense attorneys stressed that Severance-Lopez has been separated from Sheriff Lopez since at least 2019, though the two share a child and are still co-parenting. Their divorce is pending.
"The state admits that she has been separated from Mr. Marcos Lopez since at least 2019," her attorney said. "She is not a co-conspirator — she is a co-parent."
What's next:
If Robin Lynn Severance Lopez posts bond, she will be placed on GPS monitoring, must surrender her passport and any firearms within 24 hours of release, and is prohibited from having any contact with Marcos Lopez. Her next court date is set for July 21.
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The Source: This story was written based on information gathered from the Lake County jail records as well as HSI Tampa. 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.