WINSTON, Ga. AP – When Genarlow Wilson arrived as the guest of honor for a local NAACP fundraiser on Saturday night, hundreds rose to their feet and gave him a standing ovation before honoring him with an award.

For three years, the West Metro NAACP chapter led the fight to free the 20-year-old after he was sentenced to 10 years in prison on felony charges for having sex with an underaged girl at a New Year’s Eve party, an incident that was videotaped. Wilson refused to accept a plea deal that would have required him to register as a sex offender.