A former Bozeman High assistant tennis coach accused of texting and trying to meet up with a Bozeman Police detective posing as a child online pleaded not guilty.

Kenneth Jordan Sheehan, 34, pleaded not guilty to sexual abuse of children, a felony, in Gallatin County District Court on Monday before Judge Rienne McEylea.

For the charge, Sheehan could see a maximum sentence of 100 years in prison for the charge.

According to charging documents, Sheehan reportedly arranged to meet up with a Bozeman Police detective who was posing as a 13-year-old child on social media in mid-August.

After several days of text message exchanges between Sheehan and the detective, including some that turned sexually explicit, the two arranged to meet at the Bozeman Pond, according to court documents.

Police officers waiting at the pond then arrested Sheehan. In an interview with police, Sheehan said he thought he had been talking to a teenager but denied wanting to have sex with the teen, court docs allege.

Sheehan worked for the Bozeman School District and was hired in March 2021 as an assistant tennis coach for Bozeman High School through the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 high school season, Superintendent Casey Bertram told the Chronicle in August.

Sheehan also coached intramural tennis at Chief Joseph and Sacajawea Middle Schools during the 2021-2022 school year. Sheehan was not employed by the district outside of his role as a coach.