NORWICH – Four accused felons have pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them in Chenango County Court, while one defendant was sentenced to two and a half to five years in state prison and another may see his sexual abuse case go to trial.

On Friday, accused felon Virgilio Taveras pleaded not guilty to charges of third degree grand larceny – a class D felony – and unauthorized practice, a class E felony.

The 49-year-old Queens County resident – along with co-defendant Victor Nino – was arrested in early May by New York State Police and the NYS Office of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Both he and Nino were charged with the pair of felonies following an investigation into an alleged insurance fraud scheme and the practice of dentistry without a license at the Dental Care practice, County Route 39 in Afton.

A continuation of Taveras’ arraignment was granted in November so that a Spanish-to-English interpreter could be procured for the proceeding. According to his attorney, Kayphet Mavady, Taveras has difficulty understanding and communicating in English.

Prosecution attorney Ralph Tortora of the NYS Attorney General’s Office announced his continued readiness should the case against Taveras and Nino go to trial, and a conference for both defendants will be scheduled for a later date.