CCSO: Man accused of targeting ‘predators’ for a profit

MIDDLEBURG – A self-proclaimed defender of sexually-abused children was arrested for using his social media platform to threaten, assault and extort people for a profit, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said.

Jay Cameron Carnicom, 32, of Middleburg, was arrested on Wednesday, April 29, and charged with three counts of extorting or threatening another and two counts of battery after investigators said he posed online as a minor offering sex to meet adults. When they showed up, he often humiliated them, slapped and punched them, and in one case ordered a man to eat cigarette butts – all while recording them to be posted on his pay-for-view website.

CCSO said Carnicom also faces similar charges in other states.

On his website, jaycarnicom.com, he posted “Jay Carnicom is a father, activist, and co-founder of Dads Against Predators (DAP), a grassroots organization dedicated to protecting children from online exploitation. With a deep passion for justice and a commitment to making the world safer for kids, Jay has become a prominent figure in the fight against child predators. Through his work, he aims to expose threats, raise awareness, and advocate for stronger protections for children.”

He posted six videos dated April 15 and May 1 of what he claimed were “predators” he caught who were meeting children for inappropriate liaisons. Each video clearly showed the alleged person Carnicom claimed to be a “predator.”

One of the charges in Clay County include Carnicom being accused of videoing a threat to expose a man on April 26, 2026, to either eat cigarette butts or talk to the sheriff’s office about having an online conversation with whom the man believed was a child.

Another Clay County charge involved posting a physical altercation with a “predator” in the Walmart on Blanding Boulevard in Orange Park

One video shows a photographer grabbing a suspected “predator” by the neck. And after the suspect slipped and fell, somebody took a swing at the suspect’s face.

One video recorded on his Facebook page in Denver shows a “predator” with a bloodied cheek. He was punched as he walked through a mall, and he was grabbed by his collar and thrown to the floor. A note with the post tells viewers to watch the complete video on his website.

A Clay County Sheriff’s Office investigator with the Burglary Organized Retail Crime/Pawn Unit told Carnicom during an interview he had “several out of state (non-extraditable), including assault and public order crimes in other states all which stem from similar incidents.” Records show Carnicom has been arrested in North Carolina, Texas and Nebraska.

Carnicom’s website also sells membership to Dads Against Predators for $12.99 a month, and it includes merchandise and donation tabs.

His bond was set at $310,015.

Man charged with murder, arson after body found in burning car

MIDDLEBURG – A 38-year-old man from Orange Park was arrested Thursday, April 30, in connection to a homicide related to a burned-out car found on North Mimosa Avenue near County Road 218.

Kareem Robinson Johnson was charged with second-degree murder, arson and tampering with evidence after deputies and first responders from Clay County Fire Rescue and the Sheriff’s Office were called on April 6 about a burning car.

After the fire was extinguished, CCSO and CCFR found Reginald Eldridge Gantt, of Jacksonville, inside the car. According to an early investigation, the car was parked at the location of the fire at least a day before it caught fire.

The Fourth District Medical Examiner’s Office determined 16 days later Gantt’s death was a homicide.

The investigation led detectives to Johnson, who was taken into custody, interviewed and arrested. He is being held at the Clay County Jail without bond.

The sheriff’s office reported the investigation remains ongoing, and it would thank the community for its continued assistance and support.

If you have any information related to this case, they are encouraged to contact Detective Mosley at (904)264-6512 or nmosley@claysheriff.com. You can also submit an anonymous tip via the SaferWatch app or First Coast Crimestoppers at 888-845-TIPS (8477).