BENTON, Ill. (AP) — A Maryland man serving a 60-year federal prison sentence has pleaded not guilty to charges he assaulted a correctional officer in Marion.

Thirty-eight-year-old Erick Roman is serving time on a gang-related racketeering conviction out of Maryland. He was arraigned Monday in federal court in Benton on a felony count of assault on a correctional officer.

Roman was indicted on Oct. 7 in connection with the alleged August attack on the employee at the federal lockup in Marion.

Roman was sentenced in February 2011. He was accused of being the leader of a Latin Kings branch in Maryland. Roman allegedly orchestrated several violent crimes, including murder, fire bombings and robberies.

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