https://www.wesh.com/article/suspended-osceola-sheriffs-co-conspirator-krishna-deokaran-pleads-guilty/69533862

A co-conspirator of suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez has pleaded guilty to money laundering, according to court records.

Krishna Deokaran's guilty plea came on the same day as the estranged wife of the former sheriff, Robin Severance-Lopez, pleaded guilty to money laundering Monday.

While Deokaran never faced any racketeering charges, investigators described him as standing “at the helm of the operation, overseeing its financial and logistical framework.”

Unlike Severance-Lopez, Deokaran is being adjudicated guilty by the court.

Deokaran could face up to five years in prison, according to court records. His sentence is to be decided at a later date.

Marcos Lopez is accused of receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments from Deokaran in exchange for protecting the casino, the Eclipse Social Club Casino, where the illegal gambling ring was based in Kissimmee.

Deokaran is expected to testify at the eventual trial for the former sheriff, but the date has not yet been set.