Former Charlotte-area high school teacher charged with sex crimes against student

A former teacher at a Union County high school faces accusations of having inappropriate sexual interactions with a former student in 2018.

Alexander Edward Dewsbury, 29, of Columbia, communicated through social media with an underage student and exchanged sexually graphic images and videos with the victim, the Union County Sheriff’s office said. Dewsbury is no longer a teacher at Union County Public Schools, where he taught at Porter Ridge High School in Indian Trail.

Dewsbury is charged with two counts of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, two counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of indecent liberties with a student, the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff’s office became aware of the allegations against Dewsbury earlier this year.

Sheriff’s detectives and the State Bureau of Investigation, along with South Carolina law enforcement, arrested Dewsbury last week. He will face his charges in Union County, police said.

He is the second teacher this month from Union County to be charged for sex crimes against students. On June 9, Monroe police arrested 35-year-old Cory McDowell, an English teacher at Central Academy of Technology and Arts, for taking indecent liberties with a student.

Anyone with further information about Dewsbury’s case is asked to call the Union County Sheriff’s Office at (704) 283-5600 or email crimestoppers@unioncountync.gov. Those with information about McDowell’s case are asked to call the Monroe Police Department at (704) 282-4700.