Fairview, OK – Former Custer County Sheriff Mike Burgess pleaded not guilty today to 36 charges of forcing female inmates to provide sexual favors.
Burgess entered the plea during arraignment in Major County District Court where the hearing was held to accommodate the judge.
Burgess faces charges of rape, rape by instrumentation, kidnapping, sexual battery and oral sodomy of female drug court participants.
Several women testified during a preliminary hearing they were afraid they'd be sent to prison if they didn't give in to Burgess' sex demands.
Trial is set for December 1st in Custer County but defense attorney Steve Huddleston says he'll decide within two weeks whether to ask for a change of venue.