The number of sex crime charges against a former South Carolina youth pastor continues to rise as investigators uncover more victims. Daniel Kellan Mayfield, who served as a youth pastor at Gowensville Baptist Church until his initial arrest in 2023, faces nearly 150 charges related to voyeurism.
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of sex crimes that some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.
Mayfield was first arrested in May 2023 for alleged voyeurism after a woman claimed that he had filmed her taking a shower. After Mayfield was personally confronted by the alleged victim and her sister, Mayfield reportedly confessed to Greenville County Sheriff’s deputies before being taken into custody.
Roughly a week after Mayfield’s original arrest, more charges were filed against him, including five counts of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of voyeurism. An investigation revealed that he allegedly filmed at least six girls, as young as 14, in the bathroom of Gowensville Baptist Church.
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Investigators believe that Mayfield acted alone and that leaders of the church were unaware of his alleged crimes.
Upon learning about Mayfield’s arrest, the church immediately terminated his employment.
“On May 27th, 2023, First Baptist Gowensville leadership was made aware of an incident of moral misconduct perpetrated by one of our staff members,” the church said at the time. “Proper authorities were notified immediately, and the employee was terminated from his role.”
Since then, authorities have uncovered numerous other alleged crimes across several counties. After investigators seized Mayfield’s electronic devices, they discovered voyeuristic images and videos that they believe Mayfield took while working as a wedding photographer and videographer.
Some of the incidents date as far back as 2018.
