OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez finds himself at the heart of a highly anticipated criminal trial slated for 2026, as he faces serious racketeering charges. Prosecutors are preparing to present a compelling case against Lopez, backed by a wealth of documents, digital evidence, and testimonies from insiders.

Following his arrest in June, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Lopez from his duties. The embattled sheriff has since denied accusations that he facilitated an extensive illegal gambling network, which allegedly spanned across arcades and casinos in Lake and Osceola counties.

According to court documents, the investigation into Lopez’s activities involved covert surveillance, the use of body-worn cameras, and multiple search warrants executed at various locations, including homes, warehouses, and storage facilities. Authorities seized gambling machines and significant sums of money linked to several gaming establishments.

Prosecutors assert that Lopez exploited his position to shield and benefit financially from these illegal operations.

Prosecutors say Lopez used his authority as sheriff to protect and profit from those operations.

One of the key locations is the Eclipse Social Club, a now-shuttered Kissimmee gaming room that allegedly housed slot machines and other illegal gambling devices.

Investigators believe Lopez collected more than $600,000 in illicit payments linked to Eclipse alone.

Prosecutors obtained text messages in which Lopez allegedly reassured businesswoman Ying “Kate” Zhang that once he became sheriff, she would be “safe” operating an internet gaming café in Osceola County.

[WATCH BELOW: Illegal gambling probe into suspended Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez involves 5 casinos, court records show]

Another message cited by prosecutors includes emojis of two slot machines, an equal sign and a money bag, interpreted as a reference to gambling profits.

Zhang, accused of importing gaming machines from China and listed as a co-defendant, has not been arrested and may be living in China, according to former associates interviewed by News 6. The U.S. has no formal extradition treaty with China, a fact that complicates efforts to bring her before a Florida court.

Even without her testimony, however, prosecutors say they have lined up dozens of other witnesses, including former allies of Lopez who have already pleaded guilty.

Five of Lopez’s co-defendants have reached plea agreements with the state, leaving the suspended sheriff increasingly isolated in contesting the charges.

His estranged wife, Robin Severance Lopez, pleaded guilty to money laundering and was sentenced to probation.

[WATCH PREVIOUS COVERAGE BELOW]

Businessman Krishna Deokaran, accused of owning and operating several illegal, also pleaded guilty to money laundering and faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced at a later date.

Court records show Deokaran is prepared to testify that he gave Lopez cash from casino proceeds, including an envelope allegedly handed over in the parking lot of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.

Prosecutors say Deokaran will describe giving both Lopez and Robin Severance Lopez a tour of Eclipse around the time it opened in 2022, showing them the slot machines that were operating inside.

Three other co-defendants — Carol Cote, Sharon Fedrick and Sheldon Wetherholt — have pleaded guilty or no contest to racketeering charges.

Beyond witness testimony, the discovery exhibits reveal that investigators have assembled an extensive financial portrait of Lopez and his household.

[WATCH BELOW: Suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez leaves jail after posting $1M bond]

Subpoenaed records from dozens of banks, credit card companies, investment firms, mortgage lenders and payment platforms, along with county property and construction files, chart the family’s income, debts and major purchases.

Investigators have paired that information with campaign finance filings, state ethics disclosures and cellphone text messages recovered from both Lopez and Deokaran that suggest the suspended sheriff may have enjoyed benefits that cannot be fully explained by his legitimate income.

In a motion Lopez filed this fall seeking to dismiss the charges, he argues that even if prosecutors’ evidence is accepted as true, it does not add up to racketeering under Florida law.

Lopez has also challenged several of the alleged predicate acts in Lake County, claiming those gambling-related activities were legal at the time under a county ordinance that permitted and regulated electronic game rooms. He maintains that what the state is treating as criminal conduct at locations like Player’s Club and Player’s Palace was, in fact, licensed and operating within local rules.