Appearing briefly before District Court Judge Todd Plewe, Ryan Carter, 29, stood silently as his court-appointed attorney entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment on Thursday, Dec. 18. Officials say Carter’s April trial could last seven days.
Carter faces five counts of sexual assault on a child after allegedly having three sexual encounters with a 14-year-old girl last summer.
Assistant District Attorney Sean Murray says the investigation continues.
At a preliminary hearing last month, a county social worker outlined each encounter in detail as explained to her by the child during an interview in July.
Carter also allegedly engaged in inappropriate text messages with the now 15-year-old.
After his arrest in June, Carter resigned from the police department via a jailhouse resignation letter before posting a $100,000 bond. He had been employed with the agency since 2011.
tbaker@cortezjournal.com