New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft on Tuesday officially entered a not guilty plea to charges on two misdemeanor counts of first-degree solicitation and has asked for a jury trial.
In February, authorities announced that the 77-year-old Kraft was videotaped twice paying for a sex act at an illicit massage parlor. Kraft is among more than 200 people, police say, who engaged in sex acts with employees of targeted massage parlors in South Florida.
The plea comes days after Kraft apologized in his first public comment since being charged for allegedly receiving sexual services at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida, on Jan. 19 and 20.
“I am truly sorry,” Kraft said in a statement on March 23. “I know I have hurt and disappointed my family, my close friends, my co-workers, our fans and many others who rightfully hold me to a higher standard.”