Ex-fiancé, two others charged in sex assault detailed by Rep. Nancy Mace
Charges stem from an alleged 2018 incident that the South Carolina congresswoman described in a House floor speech.
South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace's ex-fiancé and two of his associates have been charged in connection with an alleged sex assault that Mace detailed in a speech on the House floor in February 2025.
Patrick Bryant, Mace's ex-fiancé, and Eric Bernard Bowman are each charged with voyeurism. John Douglas Osborne faces charges of first-degree assault and battery and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. State agents stated that Osborne committed sex acts on a 23-year-old woman who was incapacitated and intoxicated, while Bryant and Bowman allegedly watched and recorded the incident.
The incident occurred in October 2018, according to sworn statements from agents of the State Law Enforcement Division. The woman had reportedly fallen into a pool and was found passed out on a couch. Another woman, who observed the assault via a security feed, took photos and documented the event in a journal.
Bowman also faces charges of obstruction of justice for allegedly resetting a cellphone that investigators were seeking and for publishing the victim's name and a video of the assault on X, formerly Twitter.
Mace, a Republican who is leaving the House after losing her bid for South Carolina governor, described the alleged crimes in detail during a nearly hour-long speech. She stated she "accidentally uncovered some of the most heinous crimes against women imaginable," including rape, non-consensual photos and videos of women and underage girls, and the exploitation of women and girls.
At the time Mace detailed the allegations, Bryant denied them, stating he would cooperate with legal processes to clear his name.
The State Law Enforcement Division has not indicated whether its investigation into the men is ongoing.
Following the arrests, Mace released a statement outlining 25 bills she has proposed to protect victims of sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination. Her proposed legislation includes requiring individuals who lose retaliatory defamation or libel lawsuits related to allegations they bring forward to pay the defendant's attorney fees.
"Protecting women and holding predators accountable isn't a slogan. It's been one of my top priorities in Congress," Mace said in her statement. "For too long, survivors have faced broken systems while predators exploited loopholes and walked free."