Robert Cronin of Niskayuna was arraigned on a grand jury indictment containing charges of Predatory Sexual Assault Against A Child, Endangering The Welfare of a Child and Perjury.

If convicted of the top count, Cronin would face between 25 to life in prison.

We first met Cronin after his January arrest when he accepted NEWS10 ABC’s request for a jailhouse interview. He denied ever having sexual contact with the girl who police have not identified. He claimed the girl, who is well known to him, became pregnant after borrowing an article of clothing that he had used to pleasure himself with.

During Wednesday’s arraignment, Cronin’s attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

We asked Schenectady County Assistant District Attorney Michael Nobles about the additional trauma that the girl might go through if the case heads to trial and whether or not that may play a role in a possible plea deal.

He said, “We have to weigh the pros and cons of asking a child to go through that. It’s always a consideration in if we should make an offer and what that offer should be.”

Nobles says the authorities were alerted to the situation after the girl delivered a baby at Bellevue Women’s Center in November. Cronin was arrested after DNA test results revealed him as the father.

He was remanded to the Schenectady County Jail without bail.  There is a court order of protection in place to keep Cronin away from the child and her siblings if he is released.