Ex-Fiance of Rep. Nancy Mace and Associates Charged With Sex Crimes Detailed in House Speech

POLICY WIRE — Columbia, South Carolina — Federal and state attention returned sharply to a high-profile congressional disclosure on Wednesday as authorities filed sex crime and voyeurism charges against the former fiance of U.S. Representative Nancy Mace and two of his business associates.

The criminal complaints stem from an October 2018 incident in Sullivan’s Island, an affluent suburb of Charleston. According to sworn statements filed by agents with the State Law Enforcement Division, John Douglas Osborne performed sexual acts on an incapacitated and intoxicated 23-year-old woman while Patrick Bryant—Mace’s ex-fiance—and Eric Bernard Bowman observed.

Investigators stated that the men discussed who would assault the victim ahead of time, captured photographs, and recorded the episode. The acts were also visible on a residential security system feed at the home. Law enforcement noted that the victim had previously fallen into a pool and was passed out on a couch, covered with a pillow.

Another individual watching the home security feed observed the assault, captured images of it, and documented the event in a personal journal. Police confirmed that Mace and Bryant were not yet engaged at the time the offense occurred.

Osborne, 46, faces charges of first-degree assault and battery alongside two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. Bryant, 53, and Bowman, 46, have each been formally charged with voyeurism.

In addition to the voyeurism count, Bowman incurred further charges including obstruction of justice after state agents determined he performed a factory reset on a mobile phone targeted by an active search warrant. Bowman was also charged with publishing the name of a criminal sexual conduct victim after sharing the woman’s identity and a video recording of her on X.

Bryant did not reply to a message requesting comment on Wednesday. Legal representation previously listed for Bowman and Osborne in separate matters did not immediately respond to inquiries.

Rep. Mace, a Republican, originally brought widespread public awareness to the episode during an extended, nearly hourlong address on the House floor in February 2025. In that speech, she explicitly named the men and detailed other digital media uncovered when she inspected Bryant’s mobile device while the two were still in a relationship.

During her 2025 remarks, Mace stated that she had inadvertently uncovered severe offenses against women, citing allegations of rape, non-consensual imagery, and the calculated exploitation of women and underage girls within her district.

At the time of the congressional address, Bryant firmly rejected the accusations, releasing a statement to The Associated Press indicating he took the matter seriously and intended to cooperate fully with legal processes to clear his name.

The State Law Enforcement Division has not disclosed whether its active inquiry into the individuals involved remains ongoing. Following the announcement of the arrests, Mace published a statement highlighting 25 legislative proposals she authored aimed at safeguarding victims of sexual misconduct, harassment, and discrimination, including protections against retaliatory defamation litigation.

Mace, who is departing the House at the conclusion of her current term following an unsuccessful run for South Carolina governor, recently introduced a measure requiring plaintiffs who bring defamation or libel claims based on such allegations to cover defense attorney fees if they lose.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)