WEST SPRINGFIELD - A University of Massachusetts police officer, arrested Thursday night on a warrant for rape of a child and other charges, was ordered held in lieu of $25,000 cash bail following his arraignment Friday afternoon in Springfield District Court.



George Colon, 49, of 104 Kings Highway, denied the charges which also include two counts of open and gross lewdness, sodomy and enticing a child under 16.



West Springfield police Capt. Daniel Spaulding said the incidents involved females under 16 known to Colon and took place over the last several months.



"The allegations are that at some point Colon exposed himself to the two females, attempted to engage one of them with sex and physically had sex with the other female," Spaulding said.



Colon, accompanied by some of his fellow police officers, turned himself in to the West Springfield police station shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday night.



A release issued by UMass states that a full hearing on the status of Colon will soon be held.



UMass Chief of Police John Horvath said the alleged misconduct did not take place while Colon was on duty at UMass Amherst and is not connected to his work as a UMass police officer.

A bindover hearing, to determine whether the case will be tried in District Court or Hampden Superior Court, is schedule to be held on Wednesday.