Florida Preacher Timothy Chaneyfield Arrested for Having S*x With Minor, Adult Without Disclosing HIV Status

A Florida preacher described by authorities as a "dope-smoking pedophile preacher" has been arrested after allegedly having s*x with at least one underage boy and an adult man without disclosing that he was HIV-positive. Officials in Polk County, Florida, said Tuesday they fear there may be additional victims connected to the case.

Timothy Chaneyfield, 42, of St. James United American Free Will Baptist Church in Winter Haven, was arrested after stepping off a plane at Orlando International Airport on July 29, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

How The Case Came To Light

According to the sheriff's office, Chaneyfield and a 14-year-old boy first connected on a dating app before moving their conversation to Instagram, which allegedly led to three in-person meetings for s*x. Tips from Instagram and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children led detectives to Chaneyfield, Sheriff Grady Judd told reporters on Tuesday. US Shocker: Married Teacher Admits To Having S*x With 16-Year-Old Boy in School Closet, Bushes in Washington; Arrested.

Investigators also located a 26-year-old man who had s*xual contact with Chaneyfield and later tested positive for HIV, reported NBC News.

"The 26-year-old didn't know [Chaneyfield was HIV-positive] until we brought it to his attention, and the 14-year-old had no clue that he was having unprotected s*x with an adult that was HIV-positive," Judd said. "This guy's nasty. He's a menace to society, and he's proven that."

Attempted Arrest In Baltimore

Polk County deputies had attempted to arrest Chaneyfield the previous week while he was in Baltimore leading a funeral service. "We actually tried to catch him while he was in Baltimore, because we didn't even want him wandering the streets of Baltimore. What is he up to there?" Judd said.

The sheriff said his office received "zero assistance" from authorities in Baltimore, an agency his spokesperson later identified as the Maryland Transportation Authority Police.

A representative for the Maryland agency disputed that characterization, saying officers responded to the gate at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on July 29 at the Polk County Sheriff's Office's request, but found that the flight had already been cancelled and passengers had deplaned an hour earlier.

"MDTA Police Officers shared this information with detectives from the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Any statement that the MDTA Police provided zero assistance is categorically false. The MDTA Police remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners in any state to assist in the apprehension of violent wanted suspects," the agency said in a statement to NBC News.

Charges Against Chaneyfield

Chaneyfield has been booked on suspicion of 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 s*x as an HIV-infected person without informing the partner, possession of marijuana and five counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. New York: Registered S*x Offender Uses Social Media and Free Tattoos To Lure and S*xually Assault Minors.

"This is a dope-smoking preacher right here in front of you," Judd said. "He's a dope-smoking pedophile preacher right before you. And now he's locked up in the county jail, where he should be. He was well-respected in the community. People trusted him; they believed in him. And now our plea is: If you've engaged this guy in s*x, let us tell you [about his HIV status], because he didn't."

Sheriff Fears More Victims

Chaneyfield also served as chaplain for Compassionate Care Hospice in Lakeland and had previously worked as a substitute teacher at Crystal Lake Middle School.

"I would be shocked if there weren't other children victims out there," Judd said. "I would be shocked if there weren't other victims out there. He was very active. He was very engaged."

Calls to a publicly listed phone number for St. James United American Free Will Baptist Church went unanswered on Wednesday, with a message indicating the line had been disconnected. Representatives for Compassionate Care Hospice and Broward County Public Schools could not immediately be reached for comment.

The United American Freewill Baptist Conference issued a statement distancing itself from the church, saying St. James United American Free Will Baptist Church in Winter Haven "is not affiliated with, governed by, or under the ecclesiastical authority or jurisdiction of the United American Freewill Baptist Conference," adding that it was therefore unable to offer further comment on the matter.

It was not immediately clear as of Wednesday whether Chaneyfield has retained a criminal defense lawyer.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 07, 2026 08:52 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).