Cheerleader pleads not guilty to sex abuse

A Bengals cheerleader and former teacher appeared in a Kentucky court Monday to contest charges that she had inappropriate contact with a student. Sarah Jones, captain of the Ben-Gals cheerleading squad and a former teacher at Dixie Heights High School in Edgewood, Ky., pleaded not guilty in Kenton Circuit Court to charges of sexually abusing a student and unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in sexual activities, WXIX-TV, Cincinnati, reported. Jones was joined by her mother, Cheryl, the principal at Twenhofel Middle School in Independence, who was charged with tampering with evidence after the alleged incident. The two women posted bail Thursday. At the hearing Monday, the judge ordered the women to stay away from the victim and that text messaging be disabled on both women's cell phones. The women's lawyer, Charles Lester, Jr., asked the state to produce all the evidence for review, WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, reported. "Sarah has maintained her innocence," Lester wrote. "The indictment of her mother is completely baseless. Cheryl Jones did not tamper with evidence." A trial date for the case was scheduled for June 27.