By Nick Gale, WLS-AM 890 News

(WHEATON, Ill.) — Four of the five Wheaton College football players charged with battery against one of their teammates have pleaded not guilty.

The four players appeared in DuPage County court Monday morning. They are accused of duct-taping their teammate’s hands and feet and attempting to sodomize him with an object back in March 2016.

Prosecutors contend they later dumped their teammate, half-naked, in a park. The five players were each charged with aggravated battery, mob action and unlawful restraint. A fifth player will be arraigned Nov. 13.

Also during Monday’s hearing, a defense attorney asked that a court imposed gag order be lifted so that the players can publicly deny the allegations. The court will take up that request on October 31.

All five players were suspended from the football team after the charges were filed. The most serious of the charges carry a maximum sentence of two to five years in prison.

@ 2017 WLS-AM News​