Man charged in sex case pleads not guilty
HUNTSVILLE — A Scott County man charged in what authorities termed a “sex ring” involving children pled not guilty to several felony charges in Criminal Court on Monday.
Roger Dwight Williams, 37, made his first court appearance since being indicted by a special grand jury in February. Appearing before Judge Shayne Sexton for arraignment, Williams pled not guilty to five counts of rape of a child, 13 counts of aggravated sexual battery and two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping.
Judge Sexton appointed the Public Defender’s Office to represent Williams after Williams requested court-appointed counsel, saying that he did not have the financial means to retain private counsel.
Williams’ next court appearance is scheduled for July 21. He remains in the custody of the Scott County Sheriff’s Department, with bail set at $500,000.
Williams remains the only person indicted in what authorities alleged was a case that involved at least six children under the age of 13 in both Scott and Morgan counties. At a press conference following the Feb. 25 indictment, Sheriff Anthony Lay said that the alleged abuse may have been ongoing since as early as 2002.