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Man pleads not guilty to sexual assault
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MONROE - A Blanchardville man pleaded not guilty to sexual assault charges in Green County Circuit Court Tuesday.

Joseph M. Van Matre, 19, is charged with second-degree sexual assault of a child and two counts of second-degree sexual assault of an intoxicated victim, all class C felonies, and sex with a child age 16 or older, a class A misdemeanor. He faces more than 120 years in prison and up to $310,000 in fines, if convicted.

The court scheduled a Feb. 5 district attorney for Van Matre.

Court records indicate Van Matre and a friend picked up two teenage girls, a 15-year-old and the other a 16-year-old, in New Glarus July 28.

They drove to Van Matre's home in Browntown where he obtained alcohol and then drove to a residence in Monroe.

One of the girls said there were other males at the residence but no other females.

Van Matre told detectives three other males were at the house.

He told Green County Sheriff Department detectives he and the two girls went into a bedroom where he had sexual contact and intercourse with both girls.

No charges have been filed against anyone else at this time. The Green County District Attorney's office is waiting for test results from the state crime lab before it decides if anyone else should be charged.

Van Matre remains free on a $5,000 signature bond.