NORFOLK (Virginia), May 7: Disgraced former 100-metre world record-holder Tim Montgomery pleaded innocent to heroin distribution charges on Tuesday and had a trial set for July 9 after a federal judge denied him bail.

US District Court Judge F. Bradford Stillman called the 33-year-old sprinter, whose career ended with a 2005 doping ban, a danger to the community and a risk to flee in denying the bond request.

Montgomery will remain in Portsmouth city jail after his arrest last week on charges of dealing more than 100 grams of heroin in the past year.

Prosecutors denied four sales Montgomery allegedly made in the bond hearing.

Montgomery also faces sentencing May 16 in New York after pleading guilty in a check fraud scheme. He could receive up to 46 months in prison on those charges.—AFP