Maxwell pleads not guilty to new sex trafficking charges

NEW YORK (UPI) — British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell pleaded not guilty Friday to new sex trafficking charges filed last month related to allegations she procured underage girls for financier Jeffrey Epstein.

She appeared in court in New York, her first appearance since her summer arrest.

Federal prosecutors filed the new charges in a superseding indictment in March. She previously pleaded not guilty to six counts of participating in a sex trafficking network run by Epstein. The new charges lengthened the duration of the alleged conspiracy and relate to an additional alleged victim.

Together, she’s charged with sex trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking of a minor, perjury, conspiracy to entice a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sexual acts, conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

If convicted, Maxwell faces up to 35 years in prison. She’s scheduled to stand trial in July.

In December, Judge Alison Nathan denied Maxwell bail for a second time, deeming the 59-year-old a flight risk considering the severity of the charges she faces. She’s being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Reporting by Danielle Haynes. Don Jacobson contributed to this report.

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