Mohammad Ajoly, 38, who is charged with two counts of attempted kidnapping in a Mercer Island incident in June, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in King County Superior Court on Aug. 29.

The defendant, who is currently being held awaiting trial on $50,000 bail at the King County Correctional Facility, has an omnibus hearing slated for Sept. 24 with a trial date set for Oct. 21, according to court documents.

Following a rigorous investigation by Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD) detectives, Bellevue police arrested Ajoly on Aug. 18 related to the child luring incident that happened on June 5 in the 7500 block of Mercer Terrace Drive. Court documents state that the defendant drove up to the two kids and said, “Hey, I have a panda bear for you; come get it,” and attempted to entice them to come closer.

“Fortunately, both children declined and immediately informed their mother,” MIPD said in a news release. In a social media post on June 6, MIPD informed the community that, “No one was hurt and there is no active threat to the community.”

After Ajoly’s defense attorney argued for his bail to be lowered from the initial $100,000 to $50,000, the court did so and set terms for electronic home monitoring if Ajoly were to post bond, according the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Ajoly was also ordered to not have contact with the two children in the incident, according to court documents.

No arraignment minutes were provided in the court documents. Fox 13 reported that Jordan native Ajoly’s defense attorney said the incident was a cultural misunderstanding. It was reported that with Ajoly’s son’s birthday falling on June 10, it is customary in Jordan to share gifts with other children during birthday celebrations.

In court documents, the defendant states that he hails from Jordan where he has a wife and three children. He’s been staying on vacation with his brother in Kent for just under a year and planned to return soon. Documents state that he is an ethics professor at Yarmouk University in Jordan.

King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion stated in court documents earlier in August that, after evaluating the incident, the defendant “did intentionally attempt to abduct” the children. An MIPD detective said in court documents that he finds “the above facts (in his report) establish probable cause that Mohammad Ajoly has committed the crime.”

The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office notes that defendants are innocent until proven guilty in court.