SC Pastor Accused of Sexual Abuse During Church Trip in PA
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A pastor from South Carolina is facing serious charges after being accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl during a church outing in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, last year, according to Tri-State Alert. Pennsylvania State Police have filed detailed charging documents outlining the allegations against William Franklin Galbreath, 57, of Salem, SC. Pastor Galbreath was the acting pastor at Harvest Holiness Church located at 506 Doma Cantrell Dr, Salem, SC 29676.
The alleged assault occurred in August 2024 while Galbreath and his wife were visiting the Chambersburg area with the victim and her family for an annual church event. According to the victim’s account, she went to the home where Galbreath was staying to prepare for an evening church service, as her parents were out of town.
The victim told investigators that while she was getting ready, Galbreath called her into the living room. He reportedly hugged her, commented on her appearance, and inappropriately touched her. The police documents state that he then allegedly moved her clothing aside and digitally penetrated her.
The victim further reported that, fearing detection, Galbreath took her to a garage but stopped his actions after noticing the possibility of being seen through the windows. He then allegedly brought her back inside the house, where he asked if he could watch her engage in inappropriate behavior. The victim refused his request, according to the police.
The incident ended when the homeowner returned, giving the victim an opportunity to leave. The following day, Galbreath allegedly gave her $100 and instructed her to remain silent about the events, the charging documents reveal.
The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) has uncovered evidence of a second victim in the ongoing case against William Franklin Galbreath. On January 20th, a Violent Crimes Investigator received a tip from a Tennessee law enforcement officer about a reported sexual assault involving Galbreath. Further investigation revealed that Galbreath had sexually assaulted one victim as a child in 2019 and continued the abuse during their teenage years from 2022 to 2025. Additionally, Galbreath was found to have sexually assaulted a second teenage victim in 2024 and 2025. These findings point to a troubling pattern of repeated abuse and have significantly expanded the scope of the case.
Content retrieved from: https://legalherald.com/salem-sc-harvest-holiness-church-pastor-william-franklin-galbreath-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-two-minors/.
