A 34 year-old New Lexington man has pleaded not guilty to charges related to sexual assault involving two children in Muskingum County.

Earlier this week, Matthew Stickdorn was arrested on multiple felony sexual assault charges, including rape.

Over a span of three years between 2015 and 2018, Stickdorn is accused of forcefully or threateningly engaging in sexual activity with two individuals under the age of 13. The oldest victim was born in 2006 and the youngest in 2008, according to the indictment.

During that period of time, Stickdorn is accused of kidnapping and raping the older child three times, once when under the age of 10.

In the case of youngest victim, Stickdorn is accused of soliciting the child for sexual activity over a telecommunications device.

Stickdorn is also accused of causing sexual contact with the younger child on seven occasions.

For those reasons, Stickdorn is charged with three counts of kidnapping with sexual motivation, one count of rape with a victim less than 10 years of age, two counts of rape, one count of importuning and seven counts of gross sexual imposition.

He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.