Pastor ARRESTED – Hired Sex Offender To Run Daycare!

Church leaders at a South Carolina megachurch let a convicted sex offender roam a preschool campus for years, and now they stand charged with crimes that strike at the heart of trust, safety, and what it means to lead.

Story Snapshot

Registered sex offender Warren Spence Perry volunteered for years at Pawleys Island Community Church near children.
Church leaders admit they knew his record but still allowed him to serve under what they called “strict supervision.”
Parents and teachers say they were never told, sparking outrage, a criminal probe, and a $25 million lawsuit.
Authorities now charge church leaders with obstruction and conspiracy, raising hard questions about loyalty, judgment, and common-sense safeguards.

How a known sex offender got inside a church school

Warren Spence Perry is not a mystery figure from the shadows; he is a registered sex offender, convicted in 2023 in Georgetown County for sexual exploitation of a minor. Under South Carolina law, people with his record must stay away from places where children are present unless their probation officer signs off first. Yet lawsuit filings say Perry volunteered at Pawleys Island Community Church for six years, three of them after his conviction, while the campus included an elementary school, preschool, and nursery.

Reports say South Carolina probation officials knew Perry volunteered at the church, but he failed to tell them the church also ran a school and daycare. That detail matters because it goes from “volunteering at a church” to daily access to small children in classrooms and halls. Investigators say they arrested Perry after a complaint that he was seen at Pawleys Island Christian Academy, and then confirmed he had given “untruthful” information to his probation officer and had contact with minors.

What church leaders knew and when they knew it

The story shifts from one offender to institutional choices once you look at what leaders admit. A local report says church leadership knew as early as 2020 that Perry was a convicted sex offender, yet teachers were never told. Pastor Don Williams later confirmed, in a tense meeting, that he, several church leaders, staff, and school leadership all knew about Perry’s conviction while he moved through the school almost daily. The teacher who finally checked the state sex offender registry did so on her own, at home, after growing uneasy.

Church officials now say they allowed Perry to volunteer under “strict supervision,” with rules that he was never to be alone with children. They claim they told county officials he was serving on campus and relied on his repeated assurances that he followed his probation terms. After a meeting with Perry and probation officer George Valdes, Williams says he learned Perry had not complied, and deputies then took Perry into custody. That admission undercuts any idea that leaders were simply unaware; instead, they trusted his word over clear legal boundaries.

Parents, lawsuits, and a conservative view of duty

For parents, the core issue is not subtle. The lawsuit filed by “John and Jane Doe” says the church and school knowingly allowed a registered sex offender, described as an alcoholic, to supervise children and be in close physical proximity to them. It claims he touched children on multiple occasions, though the full extent may be unknown because of the children’s ages and lack of supervision. The suit argues the church had a basic duty to screen volunteers with access to kids and to warn parents, and it failed both tests.

From a conservative, common-sense standpoint, those duties line up with values many Americans hold: protect children first, honor the law, and tell the truth even when it hurts. You do not need a theology degree to see the problem when adults choose quiet “restoration” of an offender over clear boundaries for kids. Investigations into abuse in other church settings show the same pattern: leaders worry about reputation and loyalty, delay calling police, and keep information away from parents. When that happens, predators gain access they never should have had.

Criminal charges and the larger pattern in churches

Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver has now charged the pastor, his wife, and the academy director with obstruction of justice and criminal conspiracy, among other counts. Deputies executed warrants at both the church and the school as part of the probe. Prosecutors say leaders concealed or downplayed Perry’s status while allowing him around children, even though his parole barred that contact. Separate civil filings seek more than $25 million in actual and punitive damages for emotional distress and breach of trust.

CHARGED | A South Carolina sheriff announced criminal charges against leaders of the Pawleys Island Community Church and its Christian Academy.

👇 https://t.co/54Ke0NgXpV

— Queen City News (@Queen_City_News) July 21, 2026

This case does not stand alone. Investigations into church abuse across denominations describe a “playbook” for hiding or softening hard truths: vague language instead of clear labels, internal handling, delayed reporting, and quiet transfers instead of removal. Research shows many child molesters are religious and use church roles to gain access and trust inside congregations. When church culture treats offenders as “ministry projects” instead of legal risks, children pay the price.

What this means for families and faith communities

For parents and grandparents watching this unfold, the lesson is uncomfortable but vital. You cannot assume a cross on the sign means the adults inside always use common sense. Ask direct questions about screening and background checks. Push for written policies that bar any sex offender from campus where children learn and play. Support leaders who choose transparency over damage control when things go wrong, even when lawyers wince.

For believers, the tension is real: grace matters, but so do boundaries. Forgiveness does not cancel prison records or probation rules. A church that quietly slots a convicted sex offender into a preschool hallway and hides that fact from teachers and parents is not practicing mercy; it is gambling with children’s safety. This South Carolina case shows what happens when that gamble collides with law, outrage, and a very public question: whose safety came first?