Republican Florida House Rep. Carolina Amesty indicted on forgery charges

Florida Republican Carolina Amesty, a state representative for parts of west Orange County and north Osceola County, has been indicted by a grand jury on forgery charges, the State Attorney’s Office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit shared Thursday.

A first-term state representative elected in 2022, 29-year-old Amesty of the Windermere area turned herself in to the Orange County Jail Thursday, where the Attorney General’s Office said she will receive an appropriate bond.

Amesty is facing four third-degree felony charges for the misuse of her notary commission, each punishable by up to five years in prison. Charges specifically include forgery, uttering a forgery, false acknowledgment or certification by a notary public and notarizing your own signature.

Amesty, who’s running for re-election this year, is alleged to have knowingly notarized a document with a forged signature in 2021 while serving as an administrator for a nonprofit school run by her family, Central Christian Academy.

According to State Attorney Andrew Bain, the grand jury indictment comes after a “concerned citizen” tipped his office off about potential wrongdoing, not to mention extensive investigative reporting from reporters at the Orlando Sentinel over the last year, who delved into Amesty’s background, credentials and relationship to her family’s school.

“A concerned citizen brought potential criminal wrongdoing to our attention, and in line with our obligation to investigate fairly and without bias, we requested a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation and thoroughly reviewed the facts and evidence of the case,” Bain said in a statement.

“That information was presented to the grand jury who found sufficient evidence to return an indictment. I am committed to upholding fairness and justice in every case by applying the law equally to everyone and my record reflects this dedication.” Amesty’s case will proceed through the judicial process, the State Attorney General’s Office notes.

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McKenna Schueler

An immigration rights advocate holds a sign protesting Florida Rep. Carolina Amesty’s support for a sweeping immigration bill that worries rights advocates.

Amesty, who’s faced flak for throwing undocumented immigrants under the bus through her support for harsh state immigration policy, faced no Republican challengers this year during the 2024 Primary Election. But she will be joined on the General Election ballot this November by Democratic candidate Leonard Spencer, a former Disney executive and political newcomer, who is running to flip Amesty’s House District 45 seat blue.

Following news of the indictment, the Florida Democratic Party released a statement calling on Amesty to resign from her seat. FDP Chair Nikki Fried said the charges levied on the young Republican lawmaker “call every decision she’s ever made on behalf of her constituents into question.”

“Carolina Amesty can’t effectively represent the people of House District 45 while defending herself from felony charges,” Fried continued. “She should resign from office immediately, and if she refuses to take responsibility for her actions, we demand that the Florida House of Representatives expel her from membership.”

The Amesty campaign posted a statement on Twitter/X Thursday afternoon downplaying the prosecution, claiming it is “based on misleading reports from a partisan newspaper.”

“Rep. Amesty calls for a speedy trial, looks forward to her day in court, and is confident of her public vindication.”

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