FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has pleaded not guilty to solicitation charges.
In a court filing, Kraft’s attorneys have requested a non-jury trial.
Authorities say Kraft visited a Florida massage parlor for sex acts on the morning of the AFC Championship Game, which he attended in Kansas City later that day.
According to documents released by the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office on Monday, it was Kraft’s second visit to the parlor in less than 24 hours.
The documents say Kraft arrived at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in a chauffeured 2015 blue Bentley at 11 a.m. on Jan. 20. He was videotaped receiving oral and manual sex from a woman at the spa in Jupiter. Officials say he gave her a $100 bill and another bill before leaving at 11:15 a.m.
The AFC Championship Game against the host Chiefs kicked off at 6:40 p.m. ET. Kraft, who is also the owner of the New England Revolution of MLS, was in attendance.
Kraft, who also was seen soliciting prostitution on video surveillance just 17 hours earlier on Jan. 19, was officially charged with two misdemeanor counts of first-degree solicitation, Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg announced Monday.
A court date was initially set for 8:30 a.m. ET on April 24 but has since been moved to March 27 at 8:30 a.m.
Kraft, 77, will have a “low level” arrest warrant issued in his name — similar to a traffic ticket — and he will not need to appear in court. Kraft has hired Jack Goldberger of firm Atterbury, Goldberger & Weiss to represent him in the process.
If convicted, Kraft could face one year in jail, a $5,000 fine, 100 hours of community service and attendance in a human trafficking dangers class.
In a statement Friday, when the nature of the charges was first announced, a spokesperson for Kraft said they “categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity.”