Welcome to Arrest Stories. A Florida pastor trusted by his congregation was arrested at an airport carrying secrets that investigators say put at least two people at serious medical risk. Heres what may have happened.
On July twenty ninth, two thousand twenty six, forty two year old Timothy Chaneyfield, pastor of St. James United American Free Will Baptist Church in Winter Haven, Florida, was taken into custody by Polk County Sheriff's Office detectives as he stepped off a plane at Orlando International Airport. The arrest followed an investigation launched after tips from Instagram and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led authorities to Chaneyfield.
According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Chaneyfield first connected with a fourteen year old boy through a dating app before moving their communications to Instagram. Investigators allege Chaneyfield then met the minor three times for sex. Detectives also located a twenty six year old man who had sexual contact with Chaneyfield and later tested positive for HIV.
Sheriff Grady Judd was direct at a press conference. Quote: The twenty six year old didn't know Chaneyfield was HIV positive until we brought it to his attention, and the fourteen year old had no clue that he was having unprotected sex with an adult that was HIV positive. This guy's nasty. He's a menace to society, and he's proven that.
Polk County deputies had attempted to arrest Chaneyfield the previous week while he was in Baltimore leading a funeral service. Sheriff Judd stated his office received zero assistance from authorities there. The Maryland Transportation Authority Police disputed that account, saying officers immediately responded to Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport at Polk County's request, only to find the flight had already been canceled and passengers had deplaned an hour earlier.
Chaneyfield also served as chaplain for Compassionate Care Hospice in Lakeland and had previously worked as a substitute teacher at Crystal Lake Middle School. The United American Freewill Baptist Conference stated the Winter Haven church is not affiliated with, governed by, or under the ecclesiastical authority or jurisdiction of the national body.
Chaneyfield faces three counts of lewd battery of a minor, three counts of interfering with custody of a minor, unlawful use of a two way communication device, three counts of traveling to meet a minor, four counts of having sex as an HIV infected person without informing a partner, possession of marijuana, and five counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held on more than three hundred fifty thousand dollars bond.
Sheriff Judd added: I would be shocked if there weren't other children victims out there. He was very active. He was very engaged.
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.