ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — St. Lucie County's new sheriff said he is "honored" to take on the top cop role after the sudden and unexpected retirement of former Sheriff Ken Mascara.
But Keith Pearson, 40, is also coming under pressure about a recent criminal probe in which he was questioned by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Mascara, 65, has not taken media questions about his retirement, but in a statement to staff said he was retiring over health concerns.
Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed the lieutenant late Friday as sheriff for the next year before the 2024 sheriff’s race.
Pearson told WPTV Monday that he was shocked by the appointment and did not see it coming.
"It's very humbling," Pearson said. "I was driving down Midway Road about 30 minutes before the governor’s press release came out. The phone rang. It was a number I didn’t recognize. It was the governor's office. They said congratulations, you've been appointed to sheriff of St. Lucie County."
Despite being recently photographed with DeSantis at political events and fundraisers, Pearson said he did not discuss a possible appointment with DeSantis and does not know how he was selected for the role.
Region St Lucie County
Longtime sheriff of St. Lucie County announces sudden retirement
He was also picked by DeSantis over higher-ranking captains and a major with the agency. WPTV is still waiting for a response from the governor's office asking how Pearson was selected.
"It's a privilege that Gov. DeSantis would choose me to lead the agency," Pearson said.
Pearson is a 20-year law enforcement veteran. Most recently, he served as lieutenant over school security.
In Mascara's letter announcing his retirement, he said he would "work with Pearson for a smooth transition and whatever else he needs."
"Ken Mascara did an amazing job. I'm going to build on that and be 10 times better," Pearson said.
He specifically named illegal arcades and fentanyl as two areas he will keep a focus and priority for his agency.
But the start of a new position for Pearson doesn’t come without some controversy. Mascara and Pearson and others were both named in a criminal probe by the FDLE into allegations that Mascara propped up a ghost candidate to run against him in the 2020 election, with the help of other members of the sheriff's office.
Mascara, running as a Democrat, was accused by the FDLE of convincing a Republican, Kevin Carter, to run a ghost campaign to beat Mascara's true Republican opponent, Richard Williams.
Mascara went on to defeat Carter in 2020.
An FDLE document said investigators found Mascara among others helped fund and run Carter's ghost campaign.
Pearson specifically was accused of helping create and place Carter campaign signs.
Carter did not want to comment on the investigation and its findings.
WPTV asked Pearson about the FDLE findings, to which he responded, "The report speaks for itself. ... The findings and reports are out. You have all of the information."
However, the report said, in part, that Pearson "confederated, abeted, and aided Ken Mascara while he was the incumbent St. Lucie County Sheriff and seeking re-election for said office in the 2020 election cycle, to facilitate Kevin Carter's 'ghost' candidacy in the 2020 St. Lucie County Sheriff race, to wit: assisting to create Carter's campaign propaganda signs, which he assisted in placing through St. Lucie County. Keith Pearson performed said actions in order to assist Ken Mascara to siphon votes from established Republican candidate Rich Williams in the 2020 St. Lucie County Sheriff race."
WPTV reiterated to Pearson that the report said he abetted a ghost campaign. Pearson responded, "I have no comment on any of that." WPTV also asked if he knew he was potentially helping a ghost campaign when he was putting up Carter's signs, to which he responded, "No, I did not.'"
The FDLE recommended criminal charges, but the 18th Judicial Circuit declined to file charges, citing insufficient evidence.
"I take the law serious here in St. Lucie County," Pearson said. "The citizens will see the policing, the transparency we're going to have here."
Just days after being appointed to sheriff, Pearson also officially filed to run in the 2024 race as a Republican.