NORWICH – Four people charged with a variety of felony and misdemeanor crimes entered pleas in county court Friday, including a not guilty plea entered on the behalf of a Chenango County Correctional Facility inmate accused of making death threats against Judge W. Howard Sullivan.

Michael D. Richardson, 35, formerly of Bainbridge, has been charged with making a terroristic threat, a class D felony, and was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility with no bail. It’s alleged that Richardson – in July of this year and with the intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; influence the policy of a unit of government by intimidation or coercion; or affect the conduct of a unit of government by murder, assassination or kidnapping – placed threatening remarks in letters addressed to his estranged wife and mother-in-law stating he was going to shoot Judge Sullivan, who is scheduled to retire at the end of this year.

Richardson’s grand jury indictment was unsealed during court on Friday, and a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf by the court pending the assignment of an attorney to represent him. He will re-appear in county court on Thursday.