Siler City pastor charged with child sex crimes, accused of possessing pornography

SILER CITY (NC)
WRAL [Raleigh, NC]

June 3, 2025

A Siler City pastor accused of watching and distributing child pornography faces child sexual exploitation charges, according to the police.

A Siler City pastor accused of possessing child pornography faces multiple charges, according to police.

Nelson Chay, 57, is charged with 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

According to the Siler City Police Department, in April, the department received an online tip about Chay, a pastor at Casa de Dios. Chay is accused of using the messaging app Kik to watch and distribute child pornography.

Investigators used a warrant to search Chay’s Siler City home on May 29, finding multiple electronic devices with child pornography.

The Siler City Police Department is concerned there could be victims who haven’t come forward.

“Due to his position in the church and that trust was bestowed upon him by our community, Chay has had access to juveniles indicating that there might be potential victims that have yet to come forward,” the police department wrote.

The Department of Homeland Security and the State Bureau of Investigation were involved in the case. Additional charges are possible, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Amber Schmidt at 919-742-5626 or aschmidt@silercitypd.gov.

https://www.wral.com/news/local/siler-city-pastor-child-sex-crimes-june-2025/