A man charged with raping and sodomizing a young girl over a 20-month period pleaded not guilty Monday in court.

Brandon Antonio Lamont Walthour, 32, is charged with rape, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, aggravated sexual battery and sexual battery for allegedly victimizing the daughter of a former girlfriend in her Hinesville apartment. He remains in jail with no bond.

The alleged sexual assault of the 9-year-old girl allegedly happened more than once over a period spanning from January 2015 until August 2016. The girl’s grandparents, who were given custody of the child by the Department of Children and Family Services while they investigated another matter, reported the alleged assault Aug. 15, 2016.

The incident reports states the grandparents took the girl to a hospital in Statesboro, where they live, because the girl was complaining of itching, pain and burning in her genitals.

The hospital alerted police after discovering she had a sexually transmitted disease. The grandparents were advised to report the matter to the Hinesville Police Department. During a Dec. 19 preliminary hearing, Hinesville Police Department Detective Jonathan Greer testified the girl said she was forced to have sex with the defendant, “more than once,” and, “that it happened almost every time her mom would go to work,” leaving the girl in the care of Walthour.

Under cross examination, the defendant’s attorney, Luke Moses, asked if his client was tested for STDs. Greer said at the time HPD tested Walthour, the results came back negative. But Greer said Walthour had received treatment in the past for a variety of STDs, including the type the girl tested positive for.

The Dec. 16 hearing moved the case forward. At this past week’s arraignment Walthour said he was not guilty.