ANDERSON COUNTY, SC – A South Carolina elementary school teacher who was named “teacher of the year” pleaded guilty Wednesday to stalking an 11-year-old student, receiving probation instead of prison time after sending the child more than 60 love letters.
Dylan Robert Dukes, 27, pleaded guilty to first-degree harassment in an Anderson County courtroom. The judge sentenced him to three years incarceration, suspended in favor of five years probation.
Dukes taught at Starr Elementary School in Anderson County, where he began his obsessive behavior toward the young student in August 2023. His conduct included sending over 60 love letters to the child, providing unwanted gifts and gift cards, and giving inappropriate hugs.
After the student left Starr Elementary, Dukes joined the same church the child’s family attended and continued to appear at functions where he should not have been present, according to court documents. Investigators also discovered he had photographed the child, though the images were determined to be non-sexual.
The victim’s mother addressed the court, stating her child “has had to endure moments of uncomfortability in places like church, school and sports” as a result of Dukes’ stalking behavior.
Detectives determined that Dukes’ conduct was “leading toward criminal sexual conduct” but successfully intervened before any physical contact occurred beyond the unwanted hugs, according to law enforcement officials.
As part of his sentence, Dukes must surrender his teaching certificate permanently and is prohibited from any contact with the victim under a permanent restraining order. He is also required to undergo mandatory mental health counseling.
The case has shocked the Anderson County school community, particularly given that Starr Elementary had honored Dukes as “teacher of the year” for the 2023-2024 school year before his arrest.
School district officials have not commented on what screening or monitoring procedures were in place or whether any changes will be implemented following the case.
