Update: Ralph Chandler Middle's Band Director Arrested on Sex Charges

Story updated with more details from the GCSO and county school district officials.

Robert Vernon Powell, band director at Ralph Chandler Middle School in Simpsonville, has been arrested and charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct against two 15-year-old females at another middle school where he was previously employed, the Greenville County Sheriff's Office and district officials said Thursday.

The charges against Powell stem from his time as band director at Northwest Middle School in Travelers Rest, the Greenville County Sheriff's Office said.

Powell, who came to Ralph Chandler Middle in August 2012, was placed on leave Feb. 11 and resigned his position there on Wednesday morning, Greenville County Schools spokesman Oby Lyles said. After turning himself in Wednesday, Powell posted a $100,000 bond late Wednesday night and has since been released from the Greenville County Detention Center.

Powell, 30, of 5307 Cedar Donne Circle in Simpsonville, is charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of committing a lewd act upon a child under 16. The alleged incidents took place over a span of four months in 2008, according to the GCSO.

Arrest warrants alleged that Powell kissed and touched the girls' breasts and between their legs. In addition, the warrants alleged that Powell penetrated the girls vaginally with his fingers, and made at least one of them perform oral sex on him.

The GCSO said they were alerted to the alleged incidents after receiving a tip on Jan. 22. 

According to the arrest warrants, investigators obtained statements implicating that Powell had sexual contact with both students between Aug. 4, 2008 and Dec. 3, 2008. The alleged incidents reportedly took place on school grounds as well as outside of the victims’ homes.

Powell served as band director at Northwest Middle from August 2005 until June, 2011, and also assisted with the Travelers Rest High Band, according to the Greenville County school district. He left the school district in 2011 before being hired as part-time band director at Ralph Chandler Middle last August.