The Colorado Springs man accused of a yearslong history of sexual assault of three young children entered a not-guilty plea in a 4th Judicial District courtroom Tuesday.

Terry Simerly, 69, was arrested Dec. 26 on suspicion of sexual assault on an 8-year-old girl, a 7-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy. According to past Gazette coverage, two of the children said the abuse had been happening for several years. Court records show the offenses allegedly took place between 2020 and 2024.

Simerly was charged with several counts of sexual assault of a child by one in a position of trust and two counts of felony obscenity shortly after his arrest.

According to court records, Simerly withdrew his initial pleas in early August, vacating a trial date for the same month. On Tuesday, his defense counsel formally entered not-guilty pleas on all nine felony counts, setting up the case for trial again.

Ahead of the one-day jury trial commencing on Jan. 12, Simerly will next appear in court on Dec. 2 for a motions hearing.

It was a quiet courtroom Tuesday, with nearly an empty gallery. Simerly remains in El Paso County jail on a $75,000 bond.

At the time of the arrest, detectives with the Crimes Against Children Unit said they believed there could be additional victims and were asking for the public’s help in the case.

They asked anyone with information to contact the Colorado Springs Police Department at 719-444-7000 or the Pikes Peak Area Crimes Stoppers at 719-634-7867.