Former U of I band director pleads not guilty

URBANA, Ill. — The former University of Illinois director of bands has pleaded not guilty to charges he stole and sold the school’s instruments, then pocketed the money.

The (Champaign) News-Gazette reported that 48-year-old Robert Rumbelow was arraigned Tuesday in Champaign County circuit court. He has requested a jury trial.

Prosecutors say Rumbelow sold clarinets valued at $5,500 each to a Nashville, Tenn., school district last June, then put the money in his personal bank account.

They also claim that clarinets, cornets, French horns, trombones and saxophones belonging to the university and delivered to Rumbelow disappeared last June. Prosecutors say they don’t know what happened to those instruments.

Rumbelow repaid the money when he resigned last month. He’d held the band director’s post since 2010.

He is free on his own recognizance.