MONTGOMERY COUNTY — An inmate appeared in court on Thursday after allegedly assaulting a local corrections officer.
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Mark Coats pleaded not guilty to one count each of kidnapping, attempted rape, gross sexual imposition and assault.
Coats was indicted on these charges in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas on July 27.
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The Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office told News Center 7 that Coats allegedly grabbed a female corrections officer, pinned her to the ground and then groped her on June 30.
Other corrections officers stopped Coats.
The victim was transported to the hospital, according to Matt Haines, Chief Deputy at the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
At the time of the incident, Coats was being held in the jail on an unrelated robbery charge. That incident is still being investigated by the sheriff’s office Special Investigations Unit.
The corrections officer is currently on critical incident leave.
“The corrections officer who was assaulted absolutely deserves justice like any other victim,” Haines said.
Coats is scheduled to be back in court on Aug. 20.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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