A Cheyenne junior high school teacher has pleaded not guilty to eight counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor.

Joe Meza entered the plea during his arraignment Friday morning in Laramie County District Court.

The Johnson Junior High School math teacher is accused of sexually abusing a girl between May 2014 and April of this year, when he was between 31 and 34 years old and she was between 14 and 17 years old.

Court documents say Meza was the girl's running club advisor when the alleged abuse started and became the girl's legal guardian when she was between 15 and 16 years old.

Meza's trial is tentatively scheduled for November 13. He's facing up to 400 years in prison if convicted on all eight counts.

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