A social media influencer who gained fame for confronting alleged child predators in viral videos has been arrested in Florida on charges of extortion and battery. Jay Carnicom, 32, was taken into custody last week following an incident at a Walmart in Middleburg, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
Carnicom, who runs the group 'Dads Against Predators', would pose as a minor online to lure men to meet in person, then film and post the confrontations. In a January video, he is heard accusing a man of trying to have sex with a little boy and appears to slap him twice. The video, which runs over 20 minutes, shows Carnicom questioning the man and allegedly forcing him to eat used cigarette butts while threatening to call law enforcement.
Investigators say this is not the first such sting by Carnicom, who has amassed over a million followers across platforms. He now faces a battery charge for the physical confrontation and an extortion charge related to the cigarette butt incident. A separate case from February involves a similar setup, according to the arrest warrant.
Authorities have criticised the vigilante approach. Chief of Investigations Domenic Paniccia stated, 'The proper way to do anything is really to just call us, let us do what we get paid to do. You might think you’re helping us, but you’re hindering the case.' A sheriff's office spokesperson added that all child exploitation investigations must be carried out by certified law enforcement officers to ensure they are done correctly and legally.
Despite these concerns, deputies say they still review tips that emerge from viral videos, even as they question the motives behind them. It is not yet clear if Carnicom has legal representation.
