By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A 41-year-old Montevallo man who is facing allegations he molested an underage female victim multiple times between 2012 and 2014 has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect to the charges.

A Shelby County grand jury in May returned a three-count indictment against James Michael Hooie, who lists an address on Shelby County 84 in Montevallo and previously listed an address in Alabaster, upholding three felony counts of first-degree sexual abuse against him.

First-degree sexual abuse is a Class C felony, and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison upon conviction.

During a July 12 hearing, Hooie entered written pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect to the three felony charges.

The Alabaster Police Department arrested Hooie on Dec. 14, 2014, and charged him with three felony counts of first-degree sexual abuse.

The charges came after Hooie allegedly molested an underage female victim multiple times between 2012 and Dec. 11, 2014, according to his arrest warrants.

According to Shelby County Jail records, Hooie was released from jail on bonds totaling $15,000 the same day he was arrested. However, he was booked back into the jail on Dec. 18, 2014, after the person who posted Hooie’s original bond surrendered him back to the jail.

Hooie has been out of jail since Dec. 28, 2015, after again posting bonds totaling $15,000.

Hooie is now scheduled to appear in Shelby County Circuit Court on Oct. 4 at 8:30 a.m. for a status hearing in front of Circuit Court Judge Lara Alvis, according to court documents.