A Granville, N.Y., man charged with sexually lewd conduct with a 16-year-old West Pawlet girl appeared in Rutland criminal court Monday.

Scott A. Myer, 23, pleaded innocent to a felony charge of lewd and lascivious conduct which caries a potential five-year jail sentence. Myer, who appeared in court on a citation, was freed without bail but under conditions that included he have no contact with girls under the age of 16.

Myer was arrested in January, following a two-month investigation conducted by the state police special investigations unit in Rutland and the state Department of Children and Families who were contacted by the girl and her family in November, 2011.

The alleged offense occurred in June 201l. The teenager told police that she was sleeping when Myer climbed into bed with her and began touching her while repeatedly asking her to have sex with him.

Myer denied that account in an interview with police where he said the girl had climbed into bed with him.