FloridaLine

🚨Richard Channing “Chan” Shealy, 54, a former interim worship pastor and Christian musician in Lexington, South Carolina, has been indicted on nine federal counts for producing, distributing, and possessing child s*xual abuse material. Federal prosecutors say Shealy produced images of a child on four occasions between 2004 and 2006, later shared CSAM files in February 2026 via a peer-to-peer network with an undercover Homeland Security agent, and possessed additional material on devices at his home. The production counts carry up to 30 years each; distribution and possession up to 20 years each, plus fines. This follows his March 26, 2026, arrest on 13 state s*xual exploitation charges. After posting bond (with conditions allowing contact only with his own children and barring internet access), he was hit with 20 more state counts on May 1—including two first-degree criminal s*xual conduct with a minor, lewd acts, and additional exploitation charges tied to the same 2004–2006 period involving children ranging from five to eight years old. Bond was denied; he remains jailed. Shealy’s wife, Beth Shealy, was vice chair of the Lexington One school board (serving ~27,000–28,000 students) at the time of the initial arrest. She resigned March 29, citing family needs. Local reporting noted her social media response framed the alleged child s*x crimes as acts by “Satan.” The couple has minor children, including a daughter with special needs. Shealy previously led worship, spoke at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes event at a district high school, and produced Christian music portraying himself as a “faithful” follower of the Bible. Shealy belongs to the Southern Baptist denomination, which emphasizes marriage as between a man and a woman and condemns consensual same-sex relationships as sinful.