An inmate at the James River Correctional Center has pleaded not guilty to two counts of terrorizing, which he faces for allegedly sending threatening letters addressed to a prosecutor and a judge.

Robert Lee Johnson, 28, is serving time for threats he made to a Burleigh County state's attorney, a judge and his defense attorney in 1999. Johnson is slated to stand trial for the current charges on Feb. 21.

Johnson was charged in October with two counts of Class C felony terrorizing for allegedly sending threatening letters to Morton County Assistant State's Attorney Brian Grosinger and South Central District Judge Donald Jorgensen.

In a short preliminary hearing, Burleigh County Assistant State's Attorney Lloyd Suhr called Morton County Sheriff Dave Shipman to the stand. Shipman, who was sworn in as sheriff Tuesday, investigated the case while he was a Mandan police detective.

Shipman said Grosinger and Jorgensen received threatening letters in June, which were signed "Natas." The letters were dated June 15 and had return addresses from the James River Correctional Center, Shipman said.

He said the return addresses also included Johnson's name and inmate identification number.

Shipman read both letters, which were similar in nature. The letters threatened to kill Grosinger and Jorgensen and their children, and said the writer planned to have sex with their wives.

Both letters said, "Be afraid. Be very afraid."

Northwest District Judge Douglas Mattson ruled there was enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial.

Grosinger was the prosecutor in the state's case against Johnson in 1999. Since threats were made against a Burleigh County state's attorney in that case, Morton County stepped in to handle the case.

Suhr is handling this case since threats were made against Morton County authorities.

All South Central District judges were disqualified from the case. The North Dakota Supreme Court assigned Mattson to preside over the case. Mattson said he expects he will be the judge presiding over the February trial.

Kevin McCabe, a defense attorney from Dickinson, was appointed to represent Johnson. He said he has not been on the case long and does not know why he was appointed rather than a local attorney.

(Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@;bismarcktribune.com.)