Former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain is pleading not guilty to federal conspiracy charges.
Strain entered his plea yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Janis van Meerveld during a brief hearing.
Judge van Meerveld set a bond of $1 million and said if Strain was able to post the money he would have to give up his passport and could not leave Louisiana.
The conspiracy charges stem from Strain's involvement in a privately-run inmate work-release program, and he is also under indictment on state charges of committing multiple sex crimes over a 30-year period while working as Sheriff.
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