A social media influencer known for confronting men he claims are child predators is now facing extortion and battery charges after an alleged incident at a Florida Walmart earlier this year.
Jay Carnicom, 32, who has built a large following online with the so-called “predator catcher” videos, was arrested last week, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
Investigators say Carnicom posed as a minor online, and lured men to meet in person – encounters he recorded and posted to social media. One of those confrontations, filmed at a Walmart in Middleburg, outside of Jacksonville, in January, is now central to the case against him, WSVN reported.
“Excuse me, everybody. This guy’s here to try to have sex with a little boy,” the suspect is heard saying in the video as he follows the man through the store.
The video, which runs more than 20 minutes, films as the confrontation escalates outside the store as Carnicom questions the man and, at one point, appears to slap him twice.
“Do you think you’ll ever try to meet a child again?” a man who appears to be Carnicom asked the man in the video.
“No,” the man replied as he ducked away.
Carnicom was arrested following the alleged incident and investigators say this is not the first time he has carried out vigilante-style stings. It’s not yet clear if Carnicom has legal representation.
Carnicom faces a battery charge tied to the alleged physical confrontation from the incident. He also is accused of attempting to force a man to eat used cigarette butts while threatening to call law enforcement if he refused – allegations that led to the extortion charge.
Another case in February describes a similar setup in which Carnicom is accused of confronting a man who allegedly believed he was meeting a minor for sex, according to the arrest warrant.
Carnicom, who describes himself as someone who “catches and exposes adults trying to prey on children,” has amassed more than a million followers across platforms through his group, Dads Against Predators, where his videos regularly draw millions of views.
Chief of Investigations Domenic Paniccia stressed the importance of handling child exploitation investigations properly.
“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 attempting to intervene.
“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 required for probable cause.
Despite that, deputies say they still review tips that surface in viral videos, even as they question the motives behind them.
