OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. —
Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa was arrested Wednesday morning, according to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.
Espinosa faces charges of grand theft and an organized scheme to defraud.
New mugshot
Uthmeier announced the arrest in a social media post.
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According to Osceola County Jail records, Espinosa was booked into custody and is currently being held without bond on both charges.
AG Uthmeier speaks
Uthmeier and other officials gathered for a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, where they accused her of enriching herself.
“If you are going to abuse your office, if you are going to abuse the public trust for family members, we will find you and hold you accountable,” Uthmeier said.
He said Espinosa voted for a COVID grant program without making personal interests transparent, thus creating a conflict of interest.
“The mayor used her position to push a COVID relief grant program, then took $50,000 from it for her family’s businesses after being warned it was prohibited,” he said. “Florida taxpayers funded that money to help small businesses recover, not to enrich the mayor who controlled it.”
The Business Boost 2.0 Grant Program is a federally funded COVID-19 relief initiative by the City of Kissimmee that offers non-repayable grants from $5,000 to $20,000 for small businesses.
“There is zero tolerance when it comes to public corruption,” Uthmeier said.
>> More: Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa’s turbulent term
Up to 30 years in prison
Florida’s chief financial officer, Blaise Ingoglia, said Espinosa could face up to 30 years in prison based on the charges.
“Corruption has no place in the state of Florida,” Ingoglia added.
1st appearance
Espinosa is scheduled for first appearance Thursday at 1 p.m.
A judge will determine whether to set a bond or continue to hold her without bond.
Written plea of not guilty
According to documents, Espinosa entered a written plea of not guilty. The same document said Espinosa demands that discovery be disclosed to her legal team within 15 days.
Businesses that received money
Adanse LLC: A company with Mayor Espinosa listed as 100% owner. The company received a grant for $20,000.00.
Kissimmee Diner Inc. dba Matador Tacos & Tapas: A company with Jorge Espinosa, Mayor Espinosa’s husband, listed as 100% owner. The company received a grant for $15,000.00.
The Real Estate Gallery LLC: A company with Jorge Espinosa listed as manager on Sunbiz. The company received a grant for $15,000.00, docs show.
Statement from Espinosa’s lawyer
“My office represents Mayor Espinosa and what I can tell you at this juncture is that Mayor Espinosa maintains her innocence. This case involves a publicly approved grant program administered by City staff, not a secret scheme to steal taxpayer money.
The prosecution must establish that the mayor acted with criminal intent. We firmly maintain that she did not. There is a fundamental difference between an alleged ethics violation and a criminal offense. The State cannot transform one into the other without proving every element of a crime beyond a reasonable doubt.
We intend to challenge these allegations vigorously in court. Mayor Espinosa deserves the presumption of innocence, not a presumption of guilt because she has been arrested.”
Statement from City of Kissimmee
“Mayor Jackie Espinosa was arrested on October 21 following an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), and any questions regarding the criminal investigation should be directed to the FDLE.
Status of Seat 5, Mayor-Commissioner
The City Charter does not address the arrest of a sitting mayor or commissioner. Under the Charter, an arrested mayor or commissioner remains in their seat until a qualifying act, such as suspension, removal, or resignation, takes place.
Moving forward, Vice Mayor Angela Eady will perform mayoral duties in the absence of Mayor Espinosa at City Commission Meetings and ceremonial events.
City Operations
City services continue as normal. Kissimmee operates under a commission-manager form of government, in which the City Manager leads the City’s day-to-day operations and its more than 900 employees. Residents and businesses should continue to contact City departments as they normally would.
Internal Investigation
The City’s standing practice is to begin an internal investigation once an arrest has been made or upon conclusion of a related criminal investigation, so as not to jeopardize the criminal case. Following the October 21 arrest of Mayor Espinosa, City Manager Mike Steigerwald authorized an internal investigation of the Business Boost 2.0 Program.
The investigation will establish how the Business Boost 2.0 Program was designed, administered, and overseen, and whether the City’s policies and procedures regarding the awarding of grants were followed and whether those policies and procedures are adequate.”
Video: Law enforcement in neighborhood where Espinosa was taken into custody