Context:

A Florida pastor and former public school employee was arrested on multiple charges after an investigation into sexual contact with a 14-year-old boy. The case centers on alleged sexual activity with a minor while the suspect—who is HIV-positive and reportedly did not disclose his status—was actively in a pastoral role and working as a hospice chaplain. The arrest followed a tip from a national child-exploitation center, with authorities uncovering a pattern of meetings and travel, including a trip to Baltimore cited by the suspect. Bond was set at over $350,000 as police pursued additional charges, and prosecutors indicated ongoing investigations and continued scrutiny of the suspect’s conduct.

Dive Deeper:

• Timothy Chaneyfield, 42, is charged with four counts of an HIV-infected person having sex without informing a partner, three counts of lewd battery of a minor, three counts of traveling to meet a minor, three counts of interfering with custody of a minor, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device, one count of possession of marijuana, and five counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

• The Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest occurred on July 29, following a July 28 investigation prompted by a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about inappropriate contact with a child.

• Chaneyfield is identified as the pastor of St. James United American Free Will Baptist Church in Winter Haven and a hospice chaplain for Compassionate Care Hospice.

• Investigators interviewed a 14-year-old alleged male victim who said he connected with Chaneyfield via a dating app and then continued communication on Instagram; the victim said Chaneyfield picked him up at the entrance to his subdivision for three consecutive days and took him to Chaneyfield’s home, where sexual activity occurred each day.

• Chaneyfield allegedly told the victim that he planned to travel to Baltimore for work, then detectives determined he indeed traveled to preside over a funeral; he was arrested at Orlando International Airport upon returning to Florida from Baltimore on July 29 and later transferred to Polk County Jail on August 1.

• Chaneyfield reportedly admitted to engaging in illicit sex with the minor; separately, an adult male later reported having sex with Chaneyfield and learned afterward that Chaneyfield was HIV-positive, a status detectives later confirmed.

• Authorities stated that Chaneyfield is currently HIV-positive and on medication, and that he did not inform either the minor or the adult victim about his status.