Nancy Mace Sexual Assault Investigation: Charges Filed Against Alleged Abusers

by WILL FOLKS

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A lengthy state investigation into high-profile sexual assault allegations made by U.S. congresswoman Nancy Mace has resulted in multiple charges being filed by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

In February 2025, Mace delivered a now-famous “scorched earth” speech from the floor of the U.S. congress accusing her former fiancé, Charleston entrepreneur Patrick Bryant, and three others of all manner of criminal sexual activity.

Also accused by Mace during her speech (.pdf) were Sullivans Island businessman Eric Bowman, Johns Island businessman John Osborne and Fort Mill businessman Brian Musgrave.

Bryant, Bowman and Osborne were all charged in connection with the inquiry into these allegations. Musgrave was not – in fact, several prosecutors (including the one responsible for overseeing these cases) vindicated him in statements made to law enforcement.

Also, none of the charges were related to alleged criminal sexual activity involving Mace as a victim – however she played a starring role in bringing the allegations to light.

On Wednesday (October 14, 2026), SLED announced it had charged Bryant, 53, with one count of voyeurism in connection with its investigation. As for Bowman – who is already facing multiple charges in the aftermath of the allegations made by Mace – he is now facing fresh charges of voyeurism, obstruction of justice and releasing the name of a victim of criminal sexual assault.

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The most serious charges announced by SLED were reserved for Osborne. The 46-year-old investor – who lost his job amid the scandal – is facing one count of assault and battery in the first degree and two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree.

The incident leading to the charges occurred on October 26, 2018 on Sullivans Island, S.C. There, the 23-year-old victim was allegedly “so intoxicated she fell into the swimming pool of the residence,” a narrative accompanying one of the probable cause affidavits noted.

“She shed the wet clothes leaving on her bra, with no underwear,” the narrative continued. “The victim was unable to walk normally or speak cogently. In order to maintain her privacy, (she) made her way to a sofa and covered her lower body with a pillow, after attempting to use an area rug. The victim had a reasonable expectation to be safe from hostile intrusion or surveillance. The victim passed out on a sofa in the common area of home.”

At this point, Bryant, Bowman and Osborne allegedly “discussed sexual exploits” and agreed Osborne would “have sex with the victim,” per the affidavit.

“While the codefendants watched for the purpose of arousing or gratifying sexual desire, John Douglas Osborne did kiss, digitally penetrate, and perform oral sex on the victim, who was mentally incapacitated and physically helpless due to her extreme intoxication,” the affidavit continued. “She did not consent to the sexual battery or touching of her private parts or the viewing of her naked body and the viewing of the sexual acts.”

That description of the victim’s condition is consistent with what Mace told her in a subsequent conversation detailing the alleged assault.

“You’re passed out,” Mace told the victim. “There’s no way that you consented to what maybe I believe Osborne did to you. You were passed out, you were completely out.”

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RELATED | LEAKED CALLS DETAIL ORIGINS OF ‘SCORCHED EARTH’ ALLEGATIONS

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According to a probable cause affidavit accompanying the warrant for his arrest, Osborne “unlawfully injured the victim by touching the private parts of the victim… under and above her clothing with lewd and lascivious intent.”

While this was allegedly transpiring, Bowman and Bryant “viewed the victim’s naked body and the nonconsensual sexual battery and touching of (her) private parts for the purpose of arousing or gratifying sexual desire,” per the affidavit. Bowman and Bryant also allegedly took “photographs and/or video” of the victim.

Per the affidavit, Osborne “knew or should have known the victim was unable to and did not provide consent.”

A witness who watched the event on a home security video feed “observed the incident and obtained and saved two still photographic images from the video feed,” the affidavit continued. The witness also documented what allegedly transpired in an “email/journal entry.”

A separate probable cause affidavit accused Osborne of committing sexual battery “by performing oral sex on the victim… who he knew or had reason to know was mentally incapacitated and physically helpless due to extreme intoxication,” while yet another probable cause affidavit accused him of committing sexual battery “by digitally penetrating the victim,” who according to investigators had “previously consumed alcoholic beverages with the subjects and was unable to consent to sexual activity.”

Osborne was booked at the Charleston County detention center on Wednesday morning at approximately 7:22 a.m. EDT. A source familiar with the circumstances of his incarceration initially tipped FITSNews off that his arrest was tied to Mace’s allegations – and that “more arrests” were coming.

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That source was accurate… Bowman, 46, was actually booked at the Charleston County detention center at 7:20 a.m. EDT, two minutes before Osborne, while Bryant was booked at 7:21 a.m. EDT.

According to a probable cause affidavit accompanying a warrant for Bowman’s arrest, in addition to the voyeurism charge he was slapped with an obstruction rap after allegedly conducting a factory reset of a cell phone sought by SLED in connection with its investigation.

“This ‘factory’ reset restored the phone to its original settings and removed data from the phone,” the affidavit noted, claiming Bowman performed this operation “despite (his) knowledge of SLED’s search warrants seeking the device in question.” His actions “impeded the investigation and the administration of justice in this matter,” the affidavit concluded.

Bowman was also charged with publishing the name of a victim of criminal sexual conduct when he “did knowingly publish or cause to be published (the name of the victim) on the social media platform X.” Bowman also allegedly “posted a video where the victim could be identified.”

The victim’s name has also been published in numerous civil court proceedings – and coverage of those cases – but for the purposes of this specific report we are declining to include it.

Of interest? Musgrave – who has sued Mace over the allegations she leveled against him – was not charged by SLED in connection with its investigation. In fact, documents obtained by this media outlet from sources close to the investigation reveal S.C. ninth circuit solicitor Scarlett Wilson – whose office will oversee all of these prosecutions – weighed in very specifically on the claims made against him.

In a heavily redacted memo (.pdf) sent to SLED captain Haley Nelson on August 14, 2026, Wilson stated Mace’s claims against Musgrave were “spurious” and created “severe credibility complications that taint some of the evidence underlying other allegations.”

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“Despite the lack of even a scintilla of evidence against Mr. Musgrave, Mace publicly labeled him a criminal and a predator,” Wilson wrote. “She used his name in the context of rape and sex trafficking, implying he was guilty of both.”

“Should Nancy Mace be called as a witness at trial in a prosecution stemming from any of the allegations in your report, her credibility would be thoroughly undermined by her false allegations against Mr. Musgrave,” Wilson concluded.

Wilson’s sentiment was echoed by S.C. fourteenth circuit solicitor Duffie Stone, who provided his own memo (.pdf) to SLED dated August 18, 2026 which argued that “the many recorded statements of key witnesses highlight fatal flaws in their believability.”

“Congresswoman Nancy Mace made many allegations to law enforcement and to the public that have turned out to not be true,” Stone wrote. “Nancy Mace’s very public statements branding Brian Musgrave a predator, a rapist, and a human trafficker are shocking when she offered neither evidence nor even suspicions to law enforcement to justify her comments.”

S.C. sixteenth circuit solicitor Kevin Brackett also weighed in, calling Mace’s allegations against Musgrave “brutal and baseless,” “reckless” and “outrageous” in a letter to solicitor Wilson.

“Had Ms. Mace not been speaking as a Member of Congress on the floor of the House of Representatives and protected from civil liability by the United States Constitution, she would have and should have been sued into bankruptcy,” Brackett wrote in his August 21 letter (.pdf).

As with anyone accused of committing any crime, Bryant, Bowman and Osborne are innocent until proven guilty. Their cases will be prosecuted by the ninth circuit solicitor’s office.

This is a developing story… please check back for updates.

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THE RELEASE…

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.

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