GREAT FALLS, Montana. — A former Great Falls mayor was arraigned Friday on a charge of felony promotion of prostitution at the bar and strip club he owns west of the city.

Gayle Morris, who has not yet entered a plea, denied the charge in interviews with local media.

“I’m not running an interstate prostitution ring, nor am I involved with prostitution,” he said. “None of that was going on to my knowledge.”

Prosecutors say illegal sexual activity took place on the dance stage of Really Windy’s bar, but mostly in a curtained-off lap-dance room. Officers who searched the bar in late May said they discovered used condoms and condom wrappers in couch cushions of the lounge’s lap-dance room, according to court documents.

“Gayle Morris kept operating, knowing (prostitution) was going on and took no steps to abate that,” Deputy County Attorney Kory Larsen said.

Court documents also say that one of the dancers told officers the 63-year-old Morris said it was up to her if she wanted to have sex for money, but advised her to never name a price. Other dancers said they were coached to tell customers they could give an appropriate tip afterward, according to the documents.

Morris, who remains free on $5,000 bond, asked District Judge Kenneth Neill to amend his release conditions to allow him to continue to work at his bar while the case moves through the courts.

Larsen said the roughly yearlong undercover investigation of Really Windy’s bar began as a drug investigation. Four employees, including two who have been charged with prostitution, were charged Friday with felony drug distribution.

Larsen said he does not expect any other charges against Morris, and there is no evidence that links the bar owner to drug sales.