GLENDALE, AZ — A high-ranking Glendale police commander was arrested in Arizona this week in connection with a North Carolina sex-crimes investigation involving a 15-year-old girl, according to court records. Cmdr. Jay O’Neill was taken into custody on Sept. 17 at State Farm Stadium, where the Arizona Department of Public Safety said he was arrested as part of an out-of-state case.
O’Neill is facing five counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor in North Carolina. Court records say the indictment accuses him of knowingly receiving digital photographs and videos showing the girl engaged in sexual activity. He was later ordered held on a $75,000 cash bond in Maricopa County while extradition proceedings move forward.
North Carolina indictment accuses O’Neill of receiving sexual images of a minor
The North Carolina county indictment was filed Sept. 14, three days before O’Neill was arrested in Arizona. Records say the offense date listed in the filing is Dec. 10. The charges center on the alleged receipt of digital images and videos that depicted the 15-year-old in sexual activity.
Second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor is the charge listed in the indictment, and the count includes five separate allegations. The case is being handled in North Carolina, even though O’Neill was taken into custody in Maricopa County. Arizona officials said Glendale police assisted with the arrest.
Arrest at State Farm Stadium leads to Maricopa County court appearance
Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesperson Warren Trant confirmed O’Neill’s arrest and said it was tied to an investigation outside Arizona. Court records show the arrest happened at 10:24 a.m. at State Farm Stadium. O’Neill then appeared before Maricopa County Judge Cindi Nannetti on Sept. 17.
During that hearing, he requested an extradition hearing, and Nannetti set it for Sept. 28. That proceeding will begin the process of determining whether he can be transported to North Carolina to face the charges there. The judge also ordered him held on the cash bond.
Extradition process could take months if both governors sign paperwork
O’Neill’s attempt to contest extradition adds another step before any transfer to North Carolina can happen. Nannetti explained that the process requires paperwork to be reviewed and signed by Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs and North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein. She said that sequence can take up to 90 days.
O’Neill was scheduled for a hearing in North Carolina on Nov. 11, according to court records. That hearing would come after the Arizona extradition process if he is moved. For now, the Arizona hearing date is the next public step in the case.
Glendale police say O’Neill is no longer employed by the department
Glendale police spokesperson Jose Santiago said O’Neill is no longer employed by the city or the Police Department. Santiago also said O’Neill was the subject of a criminal investigation by another law enforcement agency and that the department would not comment further.
The arrest marks a major fall for a longtime Glendale officer. LinkedIn information attributed to O’Neill says he joined Glendale police in October 2005 and rose through the ranks from officer to sergeant, lieutenant and then commander in February 2020. The account also says he worked as a police officer in Oceanside, California, before joining Glendale.
Career record shows decades in law enforcement and Marine Corps service
O’Neill’s professional background includes service in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1991 to 1995, according to a Glendale Police Department Facebook post. That history was part of the public record before his arrest this month.
His career path also included seven years as a police officer in Oceanside, California, before he spent nearly two decades with Glendale police. The case now places his law-enforcement career under intense scrutiny as the North Carolina charges and Arizona extradition process continue to unfold.