The former fiance of U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) and two of his business associates were charged Wednesday, October 14, 2026, with sex crimes and voyeurism. The charges stem from an October 2018 incident in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, involving an incapacitated 23-year-old woman. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) agents alleged the men recorded the encounter and discussed the assault beforehand.
The charges follow a February 2025 speech by Mace on the House floor in which she detailed allegations of sexual assault, non-consensual photography, and exploitation involving the men. Mace, who is leaving the House after a failed bid for South Carolina governor, stated she discovered the evidence on the cellphone of her then-fiance, Patrick Bryant. At the time of the 2025 speech, Bryant denied the allegations and pledged to cooperate with legal processes to clear his name.
According to sworn statements from SLED agents, John Douglas Osborne, 46, performed sex acts on the intoxicated victim while Bryant, 53, and Eric Bernard Bowman, 46, watched. Investigators alleged the assault was captured on a home security feed and witnessed by another woman who recorded the events in a journal. Osborne faces one count of first-degree assault and battery and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. Bryant and Bowman are charged with voyeurism.
Bowman faces additional charges of obstruction of justice for allegedly performing a factory reset on a phone sought by investigators, and publishing the name of a criminal sexual conduct victim on X. Following the arrests on Wednesday, Mace released a statement detailing 25 bills she has supported to protect victims of sexual assault and harassment, including a proposal to require plaintiffs who lose retaliatory defamation suits to pay the defendant's attorney fees.
The scale of the case involves three defendants facing multiple felony and misdemeanor charges related to an incident involving one reported victim. For the individuals charged, the legal proceedings could result in significant prison time and registry requirements if convicted, particularly for Osborne, who faces first-degree assault and battery. The specific impact on the victim and the public includes the enforcement of South Carolina’s voyeurism and sexual conduct laws, which carry penalties designed to deter non-consensual filming and sexual exploitation.
Beyond the immediate criminal case, the arrests serve as a backdrop for legislative efforts in Washington. Mace has utilized the development to advocate for a package of 25 bills aimed at protecting survivors from retaliatory legal actions, such as libel or defamation lawsuits. If passed, these federal laws would change the financial risks for survivors who go public with allegations, potentially shifting the cost of attorney fees to those who unsuccessfully sue them. The next steps in the legal process include court appearances for the three men in South Carolina, though specific dates for hearings or trials were not reported by the State Law Enforcement Division.