Crimes Against Children

Pawleys Island Church Leaders, Custodian Charged in Case Involving Convicted Sex Offender’s Contact With Children

Troy S.

July 20, 2026
Updated: July 21, 2026
1:28 pm

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GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (BFMG) — The Georgetown County sheriff says church leaders at Pawleys Island Community Church and its affiliated Christian Academy colluded with a convicted sex offender to place children at risk, leading to multiple criminal charges and an ongoing investigation into possible contact between the man and minors.

Sheriff Carter Weaver outlined the case during a news conference, describing how his office and state probation officials moved quickly after a concerned citizen reported that Warren Spencer Perry, a registered sex offender, was working around children at Pawleys Island Christian Academy.

How the case surfaced

Pawleys Island Community Church and Pawleys Island Christian Academy share a campus at 10304 Ocean Highway in the unincorporated Pawleys Island area of Georgetown County. Perry, a convicted sex offender, was providing maintenance and custodial services at the church and school.

A citizen said she recognized Perry on the sex offender registry and saw him in close proximity to children at the academy. She reported those concerns to the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office, prompting deputies to contact church leadership and state probation officials.

Weaver said his office verbally interviewed church officials on Sunday, July 12. At that time, church leaders told investigators Perry volunteered at the church seven days a week and that measures were in place to ensure he was not around children.

The sheriff later described that statement as false, saying subsequent information and evidence showed Perry had been in and around classrooms and other areas where children were present.

Perry’s criminal history and probation status

According to Weaver, Perry lives in Georgetown County and was charged by the sheriff’s office in August 2020 with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. The case was resolved on Nov. 29, 2023, when Perry was convicted on one count; the second count was dismissed by the solicitor’s office as part of the disposition.

Perry received a 10-year sentence suspended to five years of probation, with a court order prohibiting him from having contact with minors. Weaver said investigators believe Perry began working in a maintenance role at the church and academy shortly after his 2020 arrest, not after his 2023 conviction, despite the restrictions on his contact with children.

On Monday, July 13, the sheriff’s office contacted the state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services (often referred to as PPP or Triple P) to confirm Perry’s status. Probation officers interviewed Perry and determined he was in violation of his probation by being around minors. He was subsequently arrested on the probation violation.

Church leadership and school officials named

Weaver identified several key figures associated with the church and academy:

Donald James Williams

Don Williams, described as the pastor and owner-operator of Pawleys Island Community Church and Pawleys Island Christian Academy.

Ginny Lee Williams

Ginny Williams, his wife, who sits in the decision-making hierarchy for both the church and school and is paid daily for her services.

Jennifer Nicole "Niki" Howard

Niki Howard, director of Pawleys Island Christian Academy.

Warren Spencer Perry

Warren Spencer Perry, sex offender volunteer worker custodian embedded in the church around children.

Weaver said the investigation began last week with sworn statements from teachers, parents, church members and officials connected to the church and academy. Search warrants were served at the property beginning Friday and continuing through Sunday, allowing investigators to seize records and digital devices for forensic review.
Evidence of proximity to children
At the news conference, Weaver described photos that he said clearly show Perry near children on the academy campus, contradicting earlier assurances that he was kept away from minors. He called the images “sickening,” especially when coupled with video of church leadership minimizing Perry’s contact with students.
The sheriff also played a recording of a probation-office interview with Don Williams, in which a probation officer told Williams that Perry was being taken into custody for having contact with minors and explained that Perry was not allowed in classrooms or in the same room as children. Williams responded that if Perry was ever in a classroom, he would leave, and insisted that Perry did not go into classrooms with minors.
Weaver said those statements were challenged by the evidence his investigators collected, including photographs and witness accounts.
Charges announced
Based on the investigation to date, Weaver said his office has filed the following charges:
- Donald James Williams
  - Obstruction of justice.
  - Unlawfully placing a child at risk of or causing harm, or willfully abandoning a child.
  - Criminal conspiracy (common law conspiracy).
- Ginny Lee Williams
  - Criminal conspiracy (common law conspiracy).
  - Obstruction of justice.
- Jennifer Nicole (Niki) Howard
  - Obstruction of justice.
  - Criminal conspiracy (common law conspiracy).
  - Unlawfully placing a child at risk of or causing harm, or willfully abandoning a child.
- Warren Spencer Perry
  - Obstruction of justice.
  - Criminal conspiracy (common law conspiracy).

Weaver said Perry was taken into custody shortly before or during the news conference. He added that Howard and the Williamses were believed to be out of town but would not be able to travel far; he said alerts had been placed to prevent them from boarding planes and that they would be arrested soon.

Scope of the ongoing investigation

Weaver emphasized that the investigation is still active and could result in additional charges. He said detectives must:

Conduct forensic interviews with any children who may have had personal contact with Perry, using specialized child advocacy professionals rather than sheriff’s investigators.
Analyze numerous sworn statements describing the behavior of church leaders, school officials, and elders.
Perform forensic searches of digital devices seized from the church and the individuals being arrested.
Review financial and payroll records to understand how staff and volunteers were paid, and evaluate whether those methods played any role in the alleged misconduct.
Assess the conduct of other elders and leaders at the church and determine whether their actions violated state law.

Weaver said his office is also investigating a report from a woman who came forward during a church service claiming her child had been molested, and that case is part of the broader probe.

He noted that the sex offender registry system functioned as intended in this case, with a citizen using the registry to identify Perry and report his presence near children. “We maintained that registry. A citizen saw Warren Perry on that registry. They put him in close proximity to the children. They reported it to the Sheriff’s Office. We immediately reported it to Triple P,” Weaver said.

Role of prosecutors and state officials

Solicitor Jimmy Richardson of the 15th Judicial Circuit joined Weaver at the news conference and praised the sheriff’s office, probation officials and community members for acting quickly once the initial complaint was made.

Richardson said deputies and investigators worked through the week and weekend, executing numerous search warrants and conducting interviews. He noted that arrest warrants are based on probable cause and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

“When all of that is over and those charges are sent to our office, we’ll do our very best to make sure that we represent the community and shepherd these cases toward an ultimate conclusion,” Richardson said. He added that it will be up to prosecutors to seek convictions through plea agreements or trials and “take that robe of innocence off” if the evidence supports guilt.

Richardson also credited the community for bringing the concerns to law enforcement’s attention and said the state attorney general has offered additional resources if needed as the investigation evolves.

Next steps and community concerns

Weaver fielded questions from reporters, confirming that:

This was the first complaint his office received about Perry working at Pawleys Island Christian Academy.
Probation and parole procedures will be reviewed internally by Triple P to determine whether officers followed their standards in monitoring Perry.
Investigators are looking at how church staff and volunteers were paid and whether finances or employment arrangements played a role in the case.
Any individuals, beyond those already named, who are found to have violated laws meant to protect children could face charges.

Asked about the upcoming school year and what families should expect, Weaver said decisions about operations at Pawleys Island Christian Academy will be up to new leadership at the church and the families affected.

He closed by thanking the community, the solicitor’s office, probation officers and his criminal investigative division, saying the work is far from over but that authorities are committed to holding “any and all” accountable for what he called a reckless disregard for the safety of children.