During a news conference, Undersheriff Shawn Coarsey named the individuals involved: Taaron Clayton, a 25-year-old former corrections officer, and Nicholas Hicks, a 46-year-old former police officer.

Clayton was taken into custody by detectives from the JSO Integrity Unit on December 30, 2025, facing charges of misdemeanor battery. Coarsey stated that the arrest followed after the agency received allegations that Clayton had exposed his genitals and inappropriately touched a victim while on duty.

As per Clayton’s arrest report, the incident reportedly occurred a few days earlier inside the jail, involving another employee.

Due to his short tenure with JSO—only nine months—Clayton was still in his probationary period, which resulted in his dismissal post-arrest. His case marks the seventh arrest of a JSO employee by the agency in 2025.

Because he had only been employed by JSO for nine months and was still in his probationary period, the agency fired him following the arrest. Clayton’s arrest was the seventh of a JSO employee by the agency in 2025.

Hicks, a nearly 10-year veteran of the agency, was arrested on Tuesday morning for felony grand theft and official misconduct following a months-long investigation by the integrity detectives.

In June 2025, detectives received information that Hicks received thousands of dollars for working a secondary job at a local hospital, but was “failing to consistently remain on hospital property” during his shifts.

From June to Dec. 30, 2025, Coarsey said that Hicks worked more than 40 shifts at the hospital, but was absent for more than 52 hours of those. He allegedly received more than $2600 for the “work.”

Upon arrest, Hicks immediately resigned.

Hicks’ is the second known arrest of a JSO employee in 2026. A longtime patrol officer was arrested on Jan. 2 for DUI by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and was subsequently reassigned as the investigation began.

“Our collective belief in openness, transparency and accountability outweighs any personal allegiance to JSO employees,” Coarsey said. “No one is above the law.”