(SC)
NBC [Washington, DC]
July 21, 2026
By Max Molski
An investigation began after a parent alleged that a convicted sex offender had been volunteering at the church in close proximity to children, law enforcement said.
Four people, including a former pastor and his wife, have been arrested after a South Carolina church allegedly allowed a registered sex offender to volunteer at the church and its preschool.
The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office announced the charges Monday against convicted sex offender Warren Perry and formers leaders of Pawleys Island Community Church and Pawleys Island Christian Academy.
The church had been under investigation for a week after a concerned parent alleged that a convicted sex offender had been volunteering at the church and school in close proximity to children, the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office said.
Perry worked as a custodian at the church after his 2020 arrest on child exploitation charges, according to investigators. Sheriff Carter Weaver said investigators found evidence suggesting church leaders knew Perry’s criminal history and still allowed him to remain on campus around children.
“The lack of responsibility in the church’s role to ensure a convicted sex offender is not allowed around minor children allowed for investigators to discover an abundance of evidence through sworn statements and search warrants,” Weaver said.
Perry was arrested in Georgetown, while pastor Don Williams and his wife, former church administrator Ginny Williams, were arrested in Summerville and extradited back to Georgetown County. Jennifer Howard, the former director of Pawleys Island Christian Academy, turned herself in at the Georgetown County Detention Center on Monday.
All four were charged with obstruction and criminal conspiracy, while Don Williams and Howard each have an additional charge of unlawfully placing a child at risk or causing a child harm. A bond hearing for all four will be held Tuesday afternoon at the Georgetown County Detention Center.
Weaver said the investigation is ongoing and that children who may have had personal contact with Perry will be interviewed through the Children’s Recovery Center.
Protesters had gathered outside the church earlier Monday, holding signs calling for the protection of children and demanding change.
“It’s a good start,” one protester said as the sheriff outlined the next steps in the investigation, via NBC affiliate WCBD News 2.