Church leaders in South Carolina found themselves in serious trouble after allowing a registered sex offender to work around children. The community was understandably outraged when they learned about the situation involving Warren Spence Perry.
These leaders admitted they were aware of Perry’s disturbing criminal history when they permitted him to volunteer. In fact, he had been convicted of a sex crime involving a minor three years prior and was under strict conditions to stay away from children while on parole.
Despite his past, they believed Perry was adhering to his parole terms since he was under “strict supervision.” Many parents were left in the dark about Perry’s history until two anonymous tips were sent to law enforcement, revealing that he was working as a custodian at a church-operated school.
On July 14, police questioned Perry at Pawley’s Island Christian Academy regarding his role there. Eliza Perez, a former employee of the school, stumbled upon his past accidentally while browsing a sex offender registry online.
She reacted with disbelief, sharing her shocking discovery with colleagues right away. “This can’t be real,” she recalled thinking. When she called the pastor’s wife, she was met with an alarming acknowledgment. “I know. I know,” was the response she received, which only intensified her concern.
The revelation caused an uproar among parents, especially those with kids in proximity to Perry. During a tense meeting the following evening, Pastor Don Williams confirmed that they had indeed let Perry work near children, even while others were aware of his status.
He insisted that Perry had a policy against being alone with children and hadn’t shown inappropriate behavior, which did little to soothe the concerned parents. Shouts of anger erupted, with one parent declaring, “Our children are not lottery tickets!”
In light of the backlash, Pastor Williams, along with his wife and a board member, decided to step down from their positions. An email was sent to the congregation announcing their resignation.
Soon after, parents took legal action against both the church and the school. Moreover, the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardons had known about Perry volunteering but, strangely, were not informed about his presence in a school setting.
By Monday afternoon, law enforcement had brought charges against the three church leaders for obstruction of official business and conspiracy. Sheriff Carter Weaver remarked on the seriousness of the situation, noting the effort to keep children safe and the certainty that those attempts to bypass safety measures would ultimately be met with consequences.
