CCSO: Man shoots brother, sister who were protecting woman
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – A brother was killed and his sister suffered severe gunshot wounds on June 24 after they tried to protect a friend from her boyfriend.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office Robbery-Homicide Unit arrested John Jacob Thornton, 20, of Starke, in connection with a double shooting that resulted in the death of a 23-year-old man and injuries to his 21-year-old sister. The incident took place at a residence on State Road 100 in Keystone Heights.
On the day of the incident, CCSO deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting. Upon arrival, they found an adult male with multiple gunshot wounds in the home’s driveway. The man was pronounced dead by Clay County Fire Rescue who arrived at the scene. Deputies also discovered a woman victim with a gunshot wound inside the residence. She was promptly transported to a local hospital by CCFR for treatment.
The female victim provided deputies with the shooter’s name, John Jacob Thornton, who fled the scene. CCSO immediately alerted surrounding agencies, describing the suspect and the pickup truck he was driving. Acting on this information, the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office spotted the suspect vehicle and observed Thornton entering Bradford County from Union County. BCSO subsequently apprehended Thornton, but not before Thornton rammed his car into a BCSO squad car while trying to flee.
The CCSO Robbery Homicide Unit initiated an investigation into the incident, conducting interviews and collecting forensic evidence at the scene with the assistance of CCSO Crime Scene Technicians. Once notified of Thornton’s arrest by BCSO, CCSO Robbery-Homicide Detectives traveled to Bradford County, took custody of Thornton, and transported him back to the investigation headquarters in Clay County.
During their investigation, detectives discovered that both victims had occasionally allowed a friend to stay at their home. The woman friend was estranged from her boyfriend, Thornton, due to domestic violence. Thornton arrived uninvited at the home and was confronted by both victims, who told him to leave. After attempting to reenter the residence, Thornton shot both victims with a shotgun.
Thornton was arrested and is in custody at the Clay County Jail. He faces charges of second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder.
“I would like to extend my condolences to the families of the victims and I hope the victim who is still hospitalized makes a fast and full recovery,” Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook said. “ The victims were trying to help a friend and sadly became the target of the suspect. Domestic violence is a real issue, and I encourage individuals who are victims of domestic violence or know someone who is to immediately contact the sheriff’s office at (904) 264-6512. Reports of domestic violence can also be submitted anonymously through the SaferWatch App.”

Orange Park sailor gets 7 years for distributing child pornography

JACKSONVILLE – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis sentenced Tanner Michael Jackson, 25, of Orange Park, a U.S. Navy petty officer, to seven years in federal prison for distributing child sex abuse images. The court also ordered Jackson to serve 20 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender. In addition, he was ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to a victim of his offense. Jackson pleaded guilty on March 17.
According to the plea agreement, in early 2022, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office received a tip that suspected child sexual abuse material had been shared via a social media application. Law enforcement obtained the subscriber information for the user who had sent the files, and the internet protocol address was traced to Jackson.
On Aug. 22, 2022, law enforcement investigators executed a federal search warrant at Jackson’s residence and seized his phone. A forensic review of the phone yielded multiple files of child sexual abuse material.
“Those who choose to violate the innocence of children come from all walks of life, and unfortunately, that includes those who don the uniform of this country’s military and take an oath to serve,” said Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Thanks to the partnerships we have in the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, including the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, this sailor has lost the freedoms he swore to protect and will no longer be able to victimize innocent and vulnerable children.”
CCSO, Homeland Security Investigations, the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, and the Naval Criminal Investigation Service investigated the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Karase and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenna Falzetta prosecuted it. 
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Jacksonville woman charged with trafficking ‘molly’
MIDDLEBURG – What started as an investigation of a possible domestic disturbance wound up with a Jacksonville woman being arrested for trafficking “molly.”
According to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the agency was alerted about a couple possibly fighting in their car on Blanding Boulevard. After deputies determined there wasn’t enough evidence to charge either, they were notified the driver of the car, Mohammod Adam, had an arrest warrant in Jacksonville.
Because the passenger, Tori Lynn Ward, 20, didn’t have a valid license to drive Mohammod’s car, CCSO called a tow company. They also made an inventory of the contents and found 21.65 grams of MDMA, also known as molly, in the passenger door panel. Ward’s bond was set at $25,003.

Middleburg man gets 17½ years for child pornography
JACKSONVILLE – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis sentenced Brandon Paul Smolinski, 36, of Middleburg, to 17 years and six months in federal prison for the distribution of child sexual abuse materials. His prison term is to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. The court also ordered Smolinski to pay $33,500 in restitution to the victims of his offense. Smolinski pleaded guilty on March 22.
According to court documents, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation after receiving information about five files of child sexual abuse material being sent over a social media application by a user. PCSO’s investigation revealed that the files were sent from within the Putnam County Jail and traced the social media account to that of Smolinski, who was working for a transportation company that works inside the Putnam County Jail.
The company provided Smolinski’s work schedule and confirmed that he worked in the Putnam County Jail on the dates and times the files were shared from within the facility. PCSO contacted the Clay County Sheriff’s Office to request assistance at Smolinski’s residence in Middleburg, and CCSO discovered additional information that the internet service at Smolinski’s home was also used to upload files of CSAM using the same social media application.
Detectives from PCSO and CCSO approached Smolinski in the parking lot at the Putnam County Jail. During an interview with the detectives, Smolinski said he worked in the jail for approximately six months.
He further said he worked the night shift, and even though no one was supposed to bring their phones into the jail tower, he brought his phone and used it to log onto the secure Wi-Fi at the Putnam County Jail.
Smolinski admitted to having the social media application used to distribute the files of CSAM.
When shown particular files of CSAM distributed from his account, Smolinski acknowledged having seen the files and that they depicted children, estimating that one of the children being sexually abused in a video appeared “young, 10 years old.” Smolinski said he would save a video shared with him via chat groups on the app, and then would flip the videos around and re-send them out. When asked if he knew what he was doing was wrong, Smolinski replied, “Oh … yes, … 100% wrong.” Smolinski said he had been involved in viewing and distributing CSAM for several years.
During a forensic review of Smolinski’s iPhone, law enforcement discovered multiple files of CSAM, including a file sent to Person A on June 27, 2022.
Also, on Smolinski’s phone were several chat messages between Smolinski and Person A, during which they talked about exploiting children. Within the messages, Smolinski said his “favorite age” was “8-9-10-14. Somewhere in there, but I’m not picky.”
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Washington and former U.S. Attorney Kelly Karase prosecuted it.