A registered sex offender worked at a church school for years. Now its leaders face charges.

What happened

In July 2026, a parent contacted the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office with a concern. A registered sex offender was working around children at Pawleys Island Community Church in South Carolina. The church runs a nursery, a preschool and Pawleys Island Christian Academy.

Investigators say 70-year-old Warren Perry, who was convicted in 2023 of sexual exploitation of a minor, started maintenance work at the church shortly after his 2020 arrest. WMBF reported that he was working at the academy as a custodian seven days a week. Church officials first told investigators that measures were in place to keep him away from children. The sheriff said that turned out to be untrue. Perry was arrested on July 14 for violating his probation.

On July 20, the sheriff announced charges. Former senior pastor Don Williams and academy director Niki Howard were charged with obstruction of justice, unlawfully placing a child at risk and conspiracy. Guest services director Ginny Williams and Perry were charged with obstruction and conspiracy. According to the warrants, leaders kept Perry’s status from teachers and parents. The Williamses and Howard had resigned days earlier. Several lawsuits have been filed. The charges are allegations, and the cases are pending.

When the church’s kids’ ministry reopened in August, it announced a new five-part abuse-prevention system with MinistrySafe. It includes awareness training, screening, written policies, in-depth background checks for all staff and volunteers, and ongoing oversight.

What safety teams can take from it

• Screen everyone with access, not just teachers. Custodians, maintenance workers, AV volunteers and contractors in a children’s building all have access. Background-check every adult who can be near kids, and run checks again on a schedule.
• No single leader can grant an exception. This failed because people at the top made a call and kept it from others. Your policy should require that any exception be documented, reviewed by more than one person, and shared with parents.
• Make it easy and safe to report. A parent started this investigation, not an internal process. Publish how to report a concern, including directly to law enforcement, and make clear no one will retaliate.
• Train people to recognize grooming. Background checks only catch people who have been caught before. Grooming-awareness training helps volunteers notice warning signs early.
• Child safety is part of the safety team’s job. Check-in, check-out, the two-adult rule and building access control are security work. Don’t leave them to the children’s ministry alone.