Former Osceola County commissioner candidate arrested, accused of violating campaign laws

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Osceola County mayoral candidate Jackie Espinosa plans to address the arrest of Carlos Irizarry at a news conference Monday.

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Irizarry is accused of running as a ‘ghost candidate’ to sway the Latino vote for the District Four county commissioner seat in Osceola County.

Espinosa announced the arrest on social media Saturday.

The arrest comes nine months after Espinosa’s campaign filed a criminal complaint against Irizarry with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

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In her social media post, Espinosa said she is glad about the positive movement of the case but is emotionally torn because Irizarry was a close family friend.

Irizarry was booked in the Osceola County Jail Saturday, but his official charges are not listed at this time.

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Last September, Channel 9 reported on Espinosa’s claims against Irizarry when she said he took votes from her during a news conference.

“This is not a Democrat/Republican issue,” Espinosa had said. “It is a people issue, and I believe every person, at every party level, needs to be properly represented.”

Espinosa’s team will hold a news conference Monday at Matadors Tacos and Tapas in Kissimmee.

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