https://www.wfla.com/news/polk-county/sheriff-judd-speaks-on-arrest-of-winter-haven-pastor/LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA)— A Winter Haven pastor was arrested after Polk County deputies said he had sex with a 14-year-old boy without disclosing that he was HIV positive.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said an investigation began after it received a NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Endangered Children) cyber tip regarding inappropriate contact 42-year-old Timothy Chaneyfield was having with a child.
“We don’t want this evil man ever to be outside of prison again, because if he is I can assure you that pedophiles don’t change their personality or their wants or their needs,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.
Detectives said that a 14-year-old boy told them he met Chaneyfield on a dating mobile app and then continued to chat via Instagram, which is where the tip was generated.
According to investigators, Chaneyfield picked up the teen on three consecutive days at the entrance to his subdivision and drove him to his house in Winter Haven, where they had sex each day.
Chaneyfield allegedly told the boy on the phone that he wanted to continue having sex with him, but he was going to fly to Baltimore for work.
Detectives said they learned that Chaneyfield was a chaplain for Compassionate Care Hospice and was going to preside over a funeral in Baltimore.
A warrant was obtained for his arrest, and he was taken into custody when he returned to the Orlando airport on July 29.
During an interview with detectives, he admitted to having sexual activity with the teen.
He was transferred to the Polk County Jail on Saturday.
