The Florida sheriff whose office launched the investigation into last year’s disappearance of Cassie Carli said he’s thrilled with the federal indictment announced Wednesday against her ex-boyfriend, Marcus Spanevelo.

“This is a great day for Santa Rosa County because we’re getting a scumbag off the streets permanently,’’ said Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson.

A federal grand jury in Birmingham this week indicted Spanevelo on a charge of kidnapping that resulted in Carli’s death.

The one-count indictment alleges Spanevelo, 35, kidnapped Carli, which “resulted in a death arising out of events that occurred in the Northern District of Alabama in March 2022.”

According to the indictment, Spanevelo “did knowingly, unlawfully and willfully seize, confine, inveigle, decoy, kidnap, abduct, carry away, and otherwise hold (Carli) for his own benefit and purpose, and in committing and in furtherance of the commission of the offense, the defendant willfully transported (Carli) in interstate commerce across a state boundary from the State of Florida to the State of Alabama, the Defendant knowingly traveled in interstate commerce from the State of Florida to the State of Alabama, and the Defendant knowingly used a means, facility, and instrumentality of interstate and foreign commerce, including, but not limited to, a cellphone and a GMC motor vehicle, which offense resulted in the death of (Carli).”

If convicted, Spanevelo would face death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

“Personally, I prefer he spend the rest of his life in prison because that’s going to be a miserable existence for him,’’ Johnson said during a Thursday press conference.

“The death penalty would be too quick.”

Federal court records do not list an attorney to comment on Spanevelo’s behalf. HIs attorney in the state case did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Monday, March 28, 2022, Carli’s father reported her missing to Santa Rosa sheriff’s authorities.

The following day, her vehicle was found in the parking lot behind the Juana’s Pagodas restaurant where the pair had met to exchange their daughter. Her purse and its contents were inside the vehicle.

On Saturday, April 3, Carli’s body was found in a shallow grave in a barn on Highway 11 in Springville.

The vacant property was one of two addresses in Springville that authorities had for Spanevelo, who had been living and working in Springville in the months prior to Carli’s disappearance.

The final autopsy report for Carli yielded no definitive answers on how she died. Both the cause and manner of her death were deemed undetermined.

Spanevelo was arrested on a state charge out of St. Clair County on felony corpse abuse in October. He remains in the St. Clair County Jail, and a bond hearing on the state case is set for next week.

He is set to be arraigned on the federal charge in Birmingham on Feb. 9.

Johnson noted the FBI joined the case on Dec. 20, 2022, and the federal indictment against Spanevelo came just one month later.

“The resources they can bring to bear on a case are incredible,’’ the sheriff said. “They get this case in December and here we are in January and this guy is either going to spend the rest of his life in prison or get the death penalty, which either one is well-deserved.”

“I would have preferred to have it occur in Santa Rosa County and have him go through our court system,” Johnson said, “but because of several things I can’t really discuss, that’s not going to happen.”

“The main point is that Mr. Spanevelo is never going to see the light of day again,’’ he said. “That’s the most important thing – not only for Cassie but for the Carli family as well.”

Though authorities have said how Carli died and have not labeled her death a homicide, Johnson indicated otherwise.

“We’ll do whatever it takes and go wherever we need to go to solve a homicide, and that’s the most important message,’’ the sheriff said.

“So, if we have any idiots out there thinking about killing somebody, don’t do it in Santa Rosa County because you will get caught.”