Teddy Kulmala

The State

LEXINGTON COUNTY — A former church pastor has been arrested on child sex charges stemming from incidents dating as far back as 1996, according to police in Lexington County.

William Oswald, 56, of Prosperity, was arrested and charged on multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor, the South Congaree Police Department said Tuesday night.

Additional details about the arrest and allegations were not immediately available, but police said the charges stemmed from when Oswald lived in South Congaree from 1996 to 2001.

Oswald is jailed on six counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor, according to Lexington County jail records, one of which involves a child under the age of 11 and three of which involve a child between the ages of 11 and 14.

Oswald was a part-time pastor at a church in Newberry, the South Congaree police chief told WIS.

First-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, which involves a victim under the age of 11, carries a minimum of 25 years in prison and up to life, under South Carolina law.