Accused Band Director’s Court Appearance Postponed Until August

The second court appearance for Steven Orland, a longtime West Aurora High School band director accused of sexually assaulting two students, was postponed this morning due to the funeral of a prominent Kane County judge.

Orland’s next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 19 at the Kane County Courthouse in St. Charles.

Kane County Associate Judge T. Jordan Gallagher died Saturday after a short battle with cancer. His funeral was Thursday.

Orland, 42, of North Aurora, is charged with three counts of criminal sexual assault and four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Orland is accused of having sexual contact on multiple occasions with two students, prosecutors with said the Kane County State’s Attorney's Office.

The contact began after Aug. 1, 2010, and the victims were younger than 18 during some of the instances alleged, prosecutors said.

Orland’s first court hearing was a brief one, and his next had been scheduled for Thursday at 9 a.m. at the Kane County Courthouse in St. Charles.

All seven of Orland’s charges are felonies. If he is convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison, prosecutors said, and would have to register as a sex offender.

Orland has been an employee of the West Aurora School District for 19 years. He was placed on administrative leave last month, pending an investigation, and was charged on May 20.