Crime & Safety
West Aurora Band Director Indicted on Additional Sexual Abuse Charges
Stephen Orland, of North Aurora, was indicted Friday on 16 felony charges and 11 misdemeanors. He is accused of having multiple sexual encounters with two students, and some of the incidents may have taken place in the West Aurora High School band room.
A West Aurora High School band director sexually abusing two students was indicted Friday on nine additional felony counts, and 11 misdemeanor counts, the Kane County State’s Attorney’s office said.
A grand jury on Friday indicted Stephen Orland, 42, of the 2700 block of Bauer Road in North Aurora, on three counts of criminal sexual assault, a Class 1 felony; 13 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony; and 11 counts of battery, a Class A misdemeanor, prosecutors said.
Orland was originally charged in May with three counts of criminal sexual assault and four counts of criminal sexual abuse.
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Orland is accused of having sexual contact with two female students, prosecutors said. According to Friday’s indictment, the contact took place on multiple occasions between Jan. 1, 2010, and May 5, 2011, and took place in the band room and band storage room at West Aurora High School, and in Orland’s car.
Both of the victims were under the age of 18 for some of the incidents, prosecutors said, although Orland “continued to have contact of an insulting or provoking nature after the two victims turned 18,” prosecutors said. Because of the age of the victims, and Orland’s position of authority, the sexual acts, even if consensual, would be considered criminal under the law.
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“The new counts involve the same two victims who were part of the initial criminal complaint,” Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said, noting it is not uncommon for additional counts to be added.
“We are not alleging additional acts,” he said. “We added counts to clarify and more appropriately prosecute this case with respect to the victims.”
Orland has been with the West Aurora School District for 19 years, and is a popular teacher. He was placed on administrative leave in May. Orland is free on $10,000 bond, and his next court date is set for Aug. 19, prosecutors said.
The case remains under investigation. Aurora police have asked that anyone with information please call 630-256-5500.
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