KEENE - A former Rindge police officer plans to plead not guilty to an attempted sexual assault charge, his attorney said Wednesday.

John Vargas-Cifrino, 35, of Chesham Road, Harrisville, waived his right to a probable cause hearing at the 8th Circuit Court, Keene District, Wednesday afternoon. The charge is now bound over to the Cheshire County Superior Court.

On Aug. 9, Vargas-Cifrino was arrested and charged with one count of attempted felonious sexual assault. Keene police arrested him following an investigation into an accusation that he had attempted to sexually assault a teen girl.

Vargas-Cifrino had been a long-term part-time Rindge police officer, who also worked at ConVal High School in Peterborough as an aide helping students identified with behavioral difficulties.

Because of the charge, he has resigned from his police job and has been placed on an unpaid leave by the ConVal School District.

Outside the courtroom Wednesday, Vargas-Cifrino's attorney, Adam Cook of Peterborough, said his client intends to defend himself against the charge.

“We're going to trial,” Cook said.

Speaking for Vargas-Cifrino, Cook said “He's dismayed and saddened by the charges.”

Keene police were made aware of the alleged crime after a Catholic priest contacted interim Rindge Police Chief Frank Morrill on Aug. 4.

“Vargas had reported his involvement in the criminal act with the priest, initially through Facebook, followed by other means,” according to the arrest affidavit on file in the 8th Circuit Court, Keene District.

The affidavit alleges sexual contact with a girl, who is between the ages of 13 and 16.

Vargas-Cifrino has been friends with the girl's family for the past 13 years and for the past year had been sleeping on the couch at the family's Keene home, the affidavit said.

The alleged incident took place in May; however, the girl reported to police that before the incident he had been coming into her room in the middle of the night and would lie next to her on her bed.

Vargas-Cifrino had been a police officer for 15 years and a part-time officer in Rindge for the past 11 years, Morrill said.

Vargas-Cifrino is out on $10,000 personal recognizance bail with conditions, including no unsupervised contact with anyone under 18, no possession of firearms and continued mental health counseling.

Cook asked the judge to amend bail conditions by lifting travel restrictions in case Vargas-Cifrino wanted to visit relatives in Massachusetts, New York or Florida.

The judge agreed and asked Vargas-Cifrino if he understood that even when out of New Hampshire other bail conditions, such as no unsupervised contact with anyone under 18, remain the same.

Vargas-Cifrino said yes, he understood.

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Meghan Pierce may be reached at mpierce@newstote.com.