Three men implicated in a kickback scheme involving state tax money directed to Ecclesia College in Springdale pleaded not guilty today in federal court in Fayetteville.

KFSM reports on comments from any of the accused at the proceeding. They are former Sen. Jon Woods of Springdale, Oren Paris, president of Ecclesia, and Randell Shelton Jr., a friend of both Woods and Paris. Woods and former Rep. Micah Neal, who has pleaded guilty, have been accused of guiding state money to Ecclesia and getting kickbacks, with help from Shelton.

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The three in court today were scheduled for trial May 8.