Three men charged with sex crimes in the US — The Guardian
In the US state of South Carolina, three men have been charged in a case involving sex crimes and voyeurism. Among those implicated is Patrick Bryant, the former fiancé of Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace. As The Guardian reports, Mace previously spoke about the case during an address in the US House of Representatives.
Charges in the case
John Douglas Osborne has been charged with first-degree assault and battery, as well as two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. According to affidavits by agents of the state law enforcement agency, Osborne engaged in sexual acts with a 23-year-old woman who was helpless and intoxicated.
Bryant and Eric Bernard Bowman have been charged with voyeurism. According to investigators, before the alleged assault, the men discussed which of them would commit it and also photographed and recorded the incident on video. Agents said the incident was also visible on footage from a surveillance system at a house on Sullivan's Island, a suburb of Charleston.
Investigators said the woman fell into a pool and later lay unconscious on a couch, covering herself with a pillow. Another woman who was accidentally watching the camera feed allegedly saw what was happening, took photographs and described what she saw in a diary. The alleged assault occurred in October 2018, when Mace and Bryant were not yet engaged.
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Bowman is also charged with obstruction of justice. Agents allege that he reset to factory settings a phone that he knew investigators were seeking under a warrant, and also published on X the name and video of a victim of a sexual crime.
Nancy Mace's address
In February 2025, Mace spoke for nearly an hour in the House of Representatives, naming the men and describing photographs and videos that she said she found on Bryant's phone during their relationship. She said that she had accidentally uncovered serious crimes against women, including rape, non-consensual photographs and videos, and the exploitation of women and underage girls.
Bryant previously fully denied the allegations and told the Associated Press that he would cooperate with all necessary legal procedures to clear his name. The state law enforcement agency did not specify whether the investigation into any of those implicated is ongoing.
After the charges were filed, Mace released a statement on 25 bills that, she said, are intended to strengthen protections for victims of sexual violence, harassment or discrimination.
