A social media influencer who gained fame by confronting men he claims are child predators has been arrested on extortion and battery charges following an incident at a Florida Walmart earlier this year. Jay Carnicom, 32, was taken into custody last week, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office in Florida.
The Alleged Incident
Investigators allege that Carnicom posed as a minor online to lure men into meetings, which he then recorded and posted on social media. One such confrontation, filmed at a Walmart in Middleburg, near Jacksonville, in January, is now central to the case against him, as reported by WSVN. In the video, Carnicom is heard saying, "Excuse me, everybody. This guy's here to try to have sex with a little boy," as he follows a man through the store. The 20-minute video shows the confrontation escalating outside, where Carnicom questions the man and appears to slap him twice.
Charges Filed
Carnicom faces a battery charge related to the physical altercation. Additionally, he is accused of attempting to force a man to eat used cigarette butts while threatening to call law enforcement if he refused, which led to an extortion charge. Another case from February describes a similar setup, according to the arrest warrant.
Vigilante Stings
This is not the first time Carnicom has conducted vigilante-style stings. He describes himself as someone who "catches and exposes adults trying to prey on children" and has amassed over a million followers across platforms through his group, Dads Against Predators. His videos regularly draw millions of views.
Law Enforcement Response
Chief of Investigations Domenic Paniccia emphasized the importance of proper handling of child exploitation investigations. "The proper way to do anything is really to just call us, let us do what we get paid to do," Paniccia said. "You might think you're helping us, but you're hindering the case."
A sheriff's office spokesperson told News4Jax that police urge the public to report suspicious activity directly to law enforcement rather than intervening. "All child exploitation investigations must be carried out by certified law enforcement officers; we investigate suspects thoroughly and make sure it's done the correct, legal way," the spokesperson said, adding that private citizens posing as minors online do not meet the legal threshold for probable cause. Despite this, deputies say they still review tips from viral videos, even as they question the motives behind them.
It remains unclear whether Carnicom has obtained legal representation.
