A 42-year-old Florida pastor has been arrested after investigators accused him of sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy and allegedly failing to reveal that he was HIV-positive before engaging in sexual activity.
Timothy Chaneyfield, pastor of St. James United American Free Will Baptist Church, was taken into custody following an investigation by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit, which began after Instagram submitted a cyber tip about suspected inappropriate contact between an adult and a minor.
According to investigators, the teenager told detectives he initially connected with Chaneyfield through a dating app before they continued communicating on Instagram. Authorities allege the pastor later picked the boy up from his neighbourhood on three occasions, took him to his home and sexually abused him.
Police also claimed Chaneyfield later told the teenager during a phone conversation that he wanted to continue the sexual relationship. During the investigation, detectives discovered he was serving as a chaplain with Compassionate Care Hospice and had travelled to officiate a funeral.
Authorities obtained an arrest warrant and, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department, arrested Chaneyfield at Orlando International Airport on July 29, 2026, after he returned from the trip.
Investigators said the pastor admitted during questioning that he had engaged in sexual activity with the minor.
Detectives further confirmed that Chaneyfield is HIV-positive and receiving treatment. They alleged he did not disclose his HIV status to either the teenage boy or another adult before engaging in sexual activity with them.
