Clements pleads not guilty in molestation case

Jerry L. Clements pleaded not guilty, Wednesday, on felony counts of rape, aggravated indecent liberties and aggravated indecent solicitation of a 6-year-old girl.

The 31-year-old entered the plea and his attorney, Mark Fern, waived formal reading of complaint information and waived formal arraignment on all three high-level felony charges.

A jury trial date has not been set.

On Oct. 9, Sixth Judicial Magistrate Judge Rebecca Stephan determined enough probable cause to bind Clements over on all counts. At that preliminary hearing, a Fort Scott Police officer, the girl's mother and a social worker all testified that the 6-year-old told them that Clements touched her in the vaginal area. According to testimony, Clements also wanted the girl to touch him inappropriately.

He is being held at Southeast Kansas Regional Correctional Center in lieu of $100,000.