Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
CLEVELAND (AP) — A Cleveland police officer charged with the sexual battery of a 13-year-old boy when she was a teacher's aide at an elementary school before becoming an officer has pleaded not guilty.
A Cleveland Municipal Court judge on Friday ordered Officer Maria Velez to have no contact with the student and set bond at $10,000.
A prosecutor had asked for the no-contact order. An arrest warrant alleges Velez contacted the boy after learning of the investigation and asked him to lie to detectives.
Defense attorney Daniel Misiewicz (meh-CHEV'-its) declined to comment after court Friday.
The case sent to a Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH'-guh) County grand jury to determine how it will proceed.
The 24-year-old Velez was suspended without pay from the police department after her arrest Thursday.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.