Gov. Ron DeSantis has suspended Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa, 10 days after her arrest on charges of organized scheme to defraud and grand theft.
The City of Kissimmee shared the executive order with News 6 this morning, also telling News 6 Vice Mayor Angela Eady has assumed the office of Mayor.
Angela Eady shared a message to the people of Kissimmee Saturday afternoon, urging residents to stay engaged and work together to strengthen the city.
“Kissimmee is strong because of the people who live and work here, and we all share the same goal, a stronger, safer, more prosperous city,” Eady said.
[WATCH HERE: Angela Eady speaks to constituents]
She challenged residents to become “a positive force” in the community by bringing forward ideas, getting involved and remaining active in local efforts.
“Bring your ideas, get involved, stay involved, and help shape what comes next for Kissimmee,” Eady said. “We’re all in this together, so let’s move forward together.”
The message comes as local leaders and community members continue to focus on growth, public safety and quality of life in Kissimmee.
Residents who want to take part in shaping the city’s future can look for opportunities to attend public meetings, share feedback and stay connected with local government updates.
Espinosa is accused of leveraging her position as mayor to score COVID-19 relief grants for her and her family’s businesses, an accusation she firmly denies.
“I’ve stated from the very beginning, there’s no criminality behind this. It is completely administrative,” Espinosa told News 6 last month.
The arrest follows months of ethics investigations by the city and by the Florida Commission on Ethics.
[WATCH: Kissimmee mayor released on bond after theft, fraud arrest]
Businesses belonging to Espinosa or her family received a combined $50,000 in grants through the city’s BOOST 2.0 grant program, which used federal COVID-19 relief money to assist Kissimmee businesses. Espinosa says the money had been set aside for the program long before she was the city’s mayor.
A special prosecutor recommended the city impeach the mayor in July, but commissioners deadlocked over whether to move forward with a trial.
Then in September, Espinosa agreed to a formal reprimand by the Florida Commission on Ethics, along with a $2,000 fine. That agreement was approved by the commission last week.
In the stipulation agreement, Espinosa had to admit that the businesses did benefit from the program in violation of Florida statutes.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Espinosa on Oct. 21. She has since bonded out of jail.
Espinosa’s attorney said the charges against her don’t rise to the level of actual intent to commit a crime.
[WATCH: Florida ethics panel formally censures Kissimmee mayor after her arrest]
“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,” aid attorney Migdala Perez in a statement to News 6.
“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.”
Per the Kissimmee Charter, Vice Mayor Angela Eady will take over Espinosa’s duties for the remainder of her term, or until the investigation is over and she is allowed to return to her post.
The Kissimmee Commission will appoint someone to fill the vacancy in the meantime.
News 6 has reached out to Espinosa’s defense team but has not heard back.