HILLSBORO, Ore. -- A former school superintendent entered a not guilty plea to charges of sex abuse in Washington County Court on Friday.

A Washington County Grand Jury indicted Irvin Nikolai, 71, on four counts of first-degree sexual abuse in April after a girl reported that Nikolai unlawfully touched her at a birthday party in a north Hillsboro home April 19.

The girl and her family were acquaintances of Nikolai, who is the former superintendent of La Grande Public Schools.

Nikolai resigned from his position of superintendent the day he was arrested.

The court set the date of his trial for July 8.

Ex-Superintendent Pleads Not Guilty To Sex Charges