Escape Room Co-Owner Faces Charges for Possession of Child Exploitation Material

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — UPDATE: A spokesperson from the Locked In Escape Room has informed First Coast News that John Nicholls is no longer affiliated with the establishment.

A man from Clay County has been taken into custody for charges related to the possession of child abuse sexual material. This led to a significant police presence on Friday morning as search warrants were executed at both his residence and workplace.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office reported that 63-year-old John Nicholls is facing 10 charges for possessing child abuse sexual material. Nicholls is known as an owner of the Locked In escape room located in Middleburg and is additionally identified as a real estate agent, according to the authorities.

Deputies received tips regarding the images and began an investigation with the Internet Crimes Against Children, a release said. The investigation was then linked to the escape room and his Fleming Island home. Deputies seized several electronic devices Friday morning.

A relative of a First Coast News employee was staying in a home on that street and described what she woke up to Friday morning.

“When I woke up the first thing I heard was the police intercom saying that they were outside this address and that they were coming in for a search warrant,” she said. “At first, I didn’t know what was going on, I thought I had to evacuate and my window faces the street and I looked outside and saw the SWAT team, I saw five or six police cars parked outside of our house on the street, it was just a lot of police presence at once.”

One man on the street said he occasionally plays golf with Nicholls and considered him a friendly person. Another woman on the street said she has lived near Nicholls for nearly 20 years and is disgusted that her children grew up down the street from someone who has now been arrested for possessing child sexual abuse material.  

Deputies said the investigation is ongoing.