CLEVELAND — Euclid piano teacher Bruce Locke, 61, pleaded not guilty Friday to molestation charges.
In an arraignment hearing, Cuyahoga County Court Judge Richard J. McMonagle read 12 counts against Locke, including charges of importuning for allegedly soliciting sex from the victim, kidnapping and gross sexual imposition.
Cuyahoga County prosecutors said, in 1999, Locke molested a former piano student in his home. The alleged victim was 9 years old.
In light of the recent Penn State molestation scandal, investigators said the woman came forward in fear that other piano students also might have been molested by Locke.
Locke is also facing child pornography charges after Euclid Police searched his home recently and found a computer with illegal images of minors stored on it.
In addition, he faces allegations that he attempted to intimidate the victim by contacting her on Facebook, asking her to withdraw her complaint. McMonagle stipulated in the arraignment that Locke is to make no contact with the victim again.
If convicted of all charges, Locke could get up to 34 years in prison. Pretrial is set for Feb. 27.