Federal class-action lawsuit against Pawleys Island church, SBC dismissed
A federal class-action lawsuit against Pawleys Island Community Church of South Carolina and the Southern Baptist Convention has been dismissed after church leaders were criminally charged for allowing a convicted sex offender to volunteer near children for years.
A United States District Court dismissed the lawsuit, the Myrtle Beach-based WBTW News 13 reported Tuesday. The dismissal did not rule on guilt or innocence, but rather concluded that the federal court lacked jurisdiction and that the suit did not fit the criteria for a federal complaint. The lawsuit was filed in August.
“[The plaintiffs] have not established the prima facie requirements for subject matter jurisdiction under CAFA. Id. at 6-7. Specifically, the SBC contends that the Complaint fails to sufficiently allege that the amount in controversy is more than $5 million,” read the ruling.
In addition to Pawleys Island Community Church and the SBC, other named defendants in the suit included the SBC Executive Committee, former Pawleys Island Senior Pastor Donald Williams, former Pawleys Island Christian Academy Director Jennifer Howard, church leaders and Warren Perry.
Warren Spence Perry, a 70-year-old registered sex offender, was arrested in July after authorities learned he was serving as a volunteer custodian at the church’s academy.
Perry had been convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor and was placed on probation in 2023, with his volunteer work at the academy violating the terms of his probation.
The church faced backlash for allowing Perry to volunteer, with Pastor Williams, his wife, Virginia Lee Williams, and Howard all resigning from their leadership positions in response.
The South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services (SCDPPPS) told ABC 15 that it had approved Perry’s request to work at the church on the assumption that he would avoid contact with minors, partly based on character witness statements given by Williams.
Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver announced in July that Williams and Howard were charged with obstruction of justice, taking steps to place children at risk and criminal conspiracy. Virginia Williams was charged with obstruction of justice and criminal conspiracy, while Perry was rearrested and received new charges of obstruction of justice and criminal conspiracy.
Authorities also arrested Michael Anthony Fields, director of operations and missions at Pawleys Island, charging him with “Unlawfully Placing a Child at Risk or Causing a Child Harm.” A fifth person, identified as the church’s security director, was also arrested.
Although the federal class action lawsuit was dismissed, Pawleys Island still faces other multiple lawsuits, including a $25 million class-action suit filed in state court in July on behalf of all students who attended the academy in the past six years.
Another lawsuit accuses Perry of abusing a student at the academy, while another names the SCDPPPS as a defendant, WMBF News reports, alleging the agency failed to enforce restrictions meant to keep Perry away from minors.
In August, the church announced the closure of its academy, citing backlash over the news about Perry and acknowledging that “trust remains to be restored.”
“We recognize the information that has come to light over the past few weeks has severed trust and caused tremendous hurt and confusion. For this, the current leadership of PICC offers our sincerest apologies,” stated the church.
“Given these recent events, the ongoing investigation, and delays with licensing for the forthcoming school year, current PICC leadership has decided to formally end the PICA ministry. We believe this decision is in the best interest of the community and church.”
Later in August, Pawleys Island announced the reopening of their children’s ministry, which is separate from the academy, touting the placement of improved safety measures.
Although the SBC and its Executive Committee were named as defendants in the federal class-action lawsuit, the lawsuit acknowledged that Pawleys Island Community Church is "an independent, self-governing, elder-led congregation not subject to the control of a parent denomination or hierarchical body."
The SBC is a cooperative association of autonomous churches and is not a hierarchical denomination. Each church is self-governing, and the SBC does not appoint pastors or staff members for churches or dictate decisions made at the local church level. The SBC has in the past removed churches from membership based on their responses to SBC Credentials Committee investigations into sexual abuse allegations.
