ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) — A former teacher who is accused of sexually abusing five girls when they were in elementary school in southwest Utah has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Spectrum reports 59-year-old Curtis William Payne on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to 15 counts of aggravated child sexual abuse.

Payne appeared at the hearing Tuesday with his defense attorney Doug Terry.

The former Washington County School District teacher was arrested after a former student told police in December that Payne had groped her several times with some of the touching occurring in an elementary school classroom.

The other victims reported similar abuse to St. George police with some instances dating back to 1999. Another abuse case occurred in the last few years.