A judge has sentenced a former Marlboro County teacher, Dwight Lawing, to 10 years in prison for committing a lewd act on a 15-year-old boy, who was his student.
The 18-year-old victim asked that we refer to him as "Tim" to protect his identity. He shared his story with us shortly after Lawing entered his guilty plea.
Tim says in 2007, when he was 15 years old, he was sexually assaulted by his former elementary school music teacher, 42-year-old Dwight Lawing. Tim was in high school at the time.
He says Lawing asked him to take a ride to North Carolina to pick up supplies for a school show, but he says they never made it. "We went to his home on Elm Street and Mr. Lawing sexually assaulted me."
He says Lawing begged him to keep quiet. "He told me not to tell that he could get into trouble with the law, then he drove me home."
Tim says one month later, it happened again. "He took me to a secluded area in the woods and raped me."
This time, Tim didn't keep the secret. He told his father and police. That was back in 2007. Lawing was arrested.
Monday afternoon, a judge sentenced Lawing to 10 years in prison. Tim says the assault nearly led him to take his own life. "In March of 2008, I wanted to commit suicide. I had the plan, I had the means. I was going to take three bottles of prescription medication."
But he called a suicide hotline and got help. Tim is now in college - and thankful Lawing is going away to prison, but he says he still has terrible flashbacks of what happened and prays for the day when he can finally put it behind him.
When Lawing is released he has to register as a sex offender, and he is subject to electronic monitoring.
