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A Syracuse City School District music teacher, Lansing Dimon, 54, faces serious legal charges after being accused of raping a 16-year-old boy multiple times. According to Syracuse police, Dimon has been charged with two counts of third-degree rape and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. The alleged incidents occurred off school grounds, and the teenager is not currently a student in the district.
Dimon, who has been with the district since August 2019, was placed on administrative leave following his arrest. Syracuse School Superintendent Anthony Davis confirmed that the district was notified of Dimon's arrest and emphasized that the incidents did not occur on school property. Dimon was charged on August 28, and police announced his arrest on Tuesday (September 9).
The Onondaga County Sheriff's Office received a report on July 3, indicating that the 16-year-old had sexual contact with an older man, later identified as Dimon. After interviewing the teen, investigators confirmed that the incidents took place in Syracuse.
Dimon, who has a master's degree in music education from Syracuse University, previously worked as a director of bands at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin, before joining the Syracuse City School District. The police are urging anyone with information related to the case to contact the Syracuse Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at (315) 442-5222.