BARDSTOWN, Ky. — Steven Lawson, one of three men arrested and charged in Crystal Rogers' death, has pleaded not guilty.

One of three men arrested in the disappearance and death of Rogers was in court Thursday. Rogers, a mother of five, went missing in 2015 and is presumed dead.

Steven Lawson, 53, was arrested earlier this month and charged with tampering with physical evidence and conspiracy to commit murder. Lawson’s appearance Thursday in a Nelson County courtroom was virtual and brief, lasting only a few minutes. His lawyer began the morning by waiving a formal arraignment and reading of the indictment against him, entering a plea of "not guilty."

Lawson is the father of Joseph Lawson, who is also charged in the case. Court documents accuse Steven of committing those crimes either July 3 or 4, 2015. Rogers disappeared from her home July 3.

Lawson’s attorney, Ted Lavit, requested a bond hearing to reduce or eliminate Lawson’s bond, which is currently set at $500,000.

“He’s a low-risk reported by pre-trial services, so I want to see where we’re going on bond," Lavit told reporters after the hearing.

Lavit continues to assert Lawson was offered immunity by investigators for his corporation in this investigation; however, he said he's not sure if prosecutors have talked to his client recently. 

Rogers’ mother, Sherry Ballard, attended Thursday’s proceeding and was seen entering and exiting the courtroom. Ballard declined to comment, but Crystal’s grandfather, Edward Ballard, did when asked about Lawson attending his next court date in-person.

“If I could get close to him, there would be the law holding me back because the (expletive) don’t need to be on this Earth if he had anything to do with Crystal," Edward said. "I know he and his son did and Brooks Houck.”

Lavit requested his client attend the January bond hearing in-person in the Nelson County Justice Center.