WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A Perkinsville man already serving a prison sentence for drunken driving denied charges Tuesday he sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl.

Travis J. Barton, 28, pleaded innocent in White River Junction District Court to a felony charge of lewd-and-lascivious conduct with a child.

According to court records, in April 2008, Barton pleaded guilty to felony drunken driving, after three previous drunken driving convictions, and received a two-to-five-year prison sentence, all suspended but six months.

In March, Springfield Police responded to Springfield Hospital to investigate a report of a child sexual assault. Police spoke to the parents of the girl, who said Barton had spent the night at their house and the following morning their daughter said Barton had touched her, records state.

Police interviewed Barton, who denied touching the girl but admitted drinking beer on the night in question, which violated the terms of his probation, affidavits state. Barton returned to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence, which has a maximum release date of September 2013.

Despite already being in prison, Judge Robert Bent set Barton's bail at $10,000 in the event he is released. Barton is prohibited from having contact with anyone younger than 16, except for his children who are allowed to visit him in Springfield prison.