Former teacher of the year in South Carolina who stalked 11 year old girl in his class avoids jail after pleading guilty to harassment.
A former teacher of the year in South Carolina who admitted to stalking a then 11-year-old girl, including writing her 60 love letters and even joining her church after she moved to a different school has avoided jail following his sentencing.
Dylan Robert Dukes, 27, a former music teacher at Starr Elementary School, pleaded guilty last week to first-degree harassment and was sentenced to just five years probation despite the alarming claims against him, Fox Carolina reports.
Authorities have said Dukes – who was named Teacher of the Year in the 2023 – 2024 school year – began stalking an 11-year-old student in August 2023.
It wasn’t until nearly a year later that an investigation into the educator’s behavior was finally initiated in early July 2024, after the girl’s parents reported that Dukes gave her a personalized box containing a letter for each day of the week during summer break WSAZ reported.
Investigators feared the teacher eventually sexually assaulting the girl
He also gave the young girl cards, gift cards, ornaments, pictures and ‘unwanted hugs’ to the student, which made her uncomfortable, an arrest warrant stated.
When the girl’s family eventually pulled her from the school, the obsessed teacher went as far as joining her local church.
Detectives who then searched his classroom where they found photos of the child in his desk, which authorities said were not sexual in nature.
Deputies with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office claimed they ‘were able to stop the harassment and stalking before it became anything physical – which the juvenile was in fear of,’ according to the Huffington Post.
They noted the educator had been stalking the young girl since August 2023 and feared his actions were ‘leading toward criminal sexual conduct.’
Dukes was then charged with stalking and was placed on administrative leave from the school district, which said at the time that it was cooperating with authorities and had made counseling resources available to students and staff, WYFF reported.
Music teacher joined 11 year old’s church after girl switching schools
Meanwhile, at an initial court appearance, the young girl’s mother cried as she described the letters the music teacher left her daughter.
‘My child had to endure moments of uncomfortability in places like church, school and sports, where my child should be comfortable and able to enjoy being a child,’ she said.
‘He started attending our church,’ she added. ‘I now realize that this access to my child had continued to grow his obsession.’
The mother said she hoped no other child would experience the stress and fear her daughter had endured.
Following the hearing, Dukes was issued a $50,0000 surety bond while being told to avoid any contact with the victim or her family if he were to be released.
A judge has since sentenced him to three years incarceration – which was suspended to five years of probation at his plea hearing last Wednesday.
As part of the agreement, Dukes must attend mental health counseling, surrender his teaching certificate and agree to a permanent restraining order prohibiting him from having any contact with the victim.
