The criminal investigation surrounding Pawleys Island Community Church continues to deepen, with authorities making a fifth arrest as prosecutors widen their probe into how a convicted sex offender was allegedly allowed unrestricted access to children on the church's campus for years.
Michael Anthony Fields, the church's director of operations and missions, was arrested on July 29 and charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk or causing a child harm, according to the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office. Investigators say Fields oversaw campus security and was responsible for protecting students at Pawleys Island Christian Academy, which shares its campus with the church.
His arrest marks the latest development in an expanding scandal centered on registered sex offender Warren Perry, who allegedly volunteered on the church and school campus despite church leaders reportedly knowing about his criminal history. Parents, staff, and members have alleged they were never informed of Perry's status before it became public earlier this month.
Authorities have already charged former Senior Pastor Don Williams, his wife Ginny Williams, former school director Niki Howard, and Perry himself with various offenses, including obstruction of justice, criminal conspiracy, and child endangerment-related charges. Fields now becomes the fifth church leader or volunteer arrested as investigators continue examining who knew what-and when.
The Sheriff's Office said the investigation has grown significantly, involving assistance from multiple agencies, including the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the South Carolina Attorney General's Office, the Department of Social Services, and child advocacy organizations. Investigators are also reviewing digital evidence seized from devices used by church leadership while continuing interviews with witnesses and conducting forensic interviews with students.
Officials emphasized that, to date, those specialized interviews have not resulted in findings of criminal sexual conduct involving other students, though the broader investigation remains active.
Meanwhile, the legal fallout continues to escalate. Pawleys Island Community Church and its affiliated school now face five civil lawsuits, including a proposed $25 million class-action case alleging negligence and concealment of safety risks. Another lawsuit accuses Perry of sexually abusing a five-year-old student in 2022, while additional complaints claim church leaders knowingly exposed children to a registered sex offender and falsely assured families that the campus was safe.
Despite the growing legal crisis, the church's remaining elders informed members that Sunday worship services would continue as scheduled, saying they remain committed to maintaining church operations while cooperating with the ongoing investigation.
Fields was granted a $25,000 bond following a court hearing and has since been released as the investigation into one of South Carolina's most closely watched church scandals continues.
