A teacher and retired Robeson County principal was arrested on Saturday in South Carolina and charged with multiple child sex offenses.

According to deputies with the Robeson County Sheriff's Office, they opened their investigation into 53-year-old Paul Nelson Locklear in Aug. 2024 after a juvenile contacted the sheriff’s office.

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"[The] information received led to allegations of unlawful sexual activity, and the discovery of additional victims and allegations dating back to 2022," The sheriff's office said in a statement.

Deputies arrested Locklear in Columbus County and charged him with the following

  • Sexual activity by a substitute parent.
    • Attempted sexual activity by a substitute parent.
      • Three counts of indecent liberties with a minor.
        • Child abuse through sexual acts.
          • Nine counts of crimes against nature.
            • Four counts of misdemeanor sexual battery.

              According to Locklear’s LinkedIn profile, he taught in the Darlington County School District in South Carolina and was a principal and teacher in Robeson County for over 20 years.

              The Darlington County School District sent out the following statement following Locklear’s arrest:

              The Darlington County School District was made aware of charges by the Robeson County Sheriff's Office against an individual who worked at Darlington Middle School. That individual is no longer employed by the school district. DCSD will cooperate fully with Robeson County law enforcement in their investigation. Please direct all further inquiries to the Robeson County Sheriff's Office.Darlington County School District

              Locklear is in the Robeson County Detention Center under a $2 million bond, with deputies saying several agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are assisting the sheriff's office's juvenile district with their investigation.

              Deputies asked anyone with information related to their investigation to contact them at 910-671-3170.

              WRAL News has reached out to Public Schools for Robeson County for a statement and is waiting to hear back.