Syracuse man denies sex abuse

A man has pleaded innocent to 10 counts of aggravated child sex abuse.

Aaron Marcos Montoya, 33, Syracuse, appeared before Judge Thomas L. Kay, who set a bail hearing for Tuesday.

Montoya is being held in the Davis County Jail on $500,000 bail. The former Salt Lake County correctional security officer was arrested in December after Syracuse police received reports that he had fondled and touched at least four girls, ages 5 and 6, in his home or at an LDS church meetinghouse. Others later came forward with allegations.

The charges were elevated to first-degree felonies, which carry mandatory prison terms of five years to life, because Montoya occupied a position of trust with the girls as a religious leade, prosecutors said. Primary is an organization for children ages three to 11 that meets each Sunday.