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MOUNT HOLLY — A suspended Moorestown policeman pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of sexually assaulting three juvenile females and cruelty to animals involving other sex acts.

Defendant Robert Melia Jr., 38, of Cottage Avenue is charged in a 45-count criminal indictment with multiple counts of sexually assaulting the girls in his home between 2000 and 2008.

Police also allege he had sex with cows in Southampton.

In addition, he is charged with official misconduct in office.

Melia's former girlfriend, Heather Lewis, 33, of Stockton's Bridge Road, Pemberton Township, pleaded not guilty last week to similar charges involving the girls and a boy.

Defense lawyer Mark Catanzaro entered not guilty pleas for Melia before Superior Court Judge Thomas Smith Jr. on Monday to those charges and also to six counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of invasion of privacy.

Police raided Melia's home in April and confiscated alleged pornographic material and Melia's computer. Both defendants were arrested April 12 and indicted last month by a Burlington County grand jury.

The stepfather of one of the girls contacted police about the alleged abuse, according to the grand jury indictment.

Melia is free on $410,000 bail while Lewis has been in the Burlington County Jail in lieu of $300,000 bail since her arrest.

Moorestown police director Harry Johnson suspended Melia on April 12, immediately following his arrest.

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