Charlotte Sena 'kidnapper' Craig Ross Jr. pleads not guilty to snatching nine-year-old from upstate New York camping ground - and then demanding $50,000 in ransom note

Suspected kidnapper Craig Ross Jr. has pleaded not guilty to snatching Charlotte Sena from a New York camp ground, as he made his first appearance in court. 

Ross was charged with kidnapping Sena last month, after Sena was found hidden in a cabinet inside his trailer in the backyard of his mother's property. 

In Saratoga County Court earlier today, Ross pleaded not guilty to the charge of 1st degree kidnapping. Which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years to life. 

The nine-year-old had gone missing after riding her bike around Moreau Lake State Park in September. 

Ross was snared by officers after leaving a ransom note in the mailbox of the Sena family home in Greenfield, with fingerprints matching a 1999 DUI charge for him. 

After Charlotte disappeared, a multi-agency search spanning 46 miles was launched and included 400 personnel from federal, state, and local bodies on the ground. 

Charlotte was cycling alone on Loop A of Moreau Lake State Park in New York near Saratoga Springs when she vanished.

She had been cycling with friend and relatives, but said she wanted to do 'one final loop' alone before returning to camp.

It should have only taken a few minutes for to complete the small loop but her parents realized she hadn't returned and grew worried. 

Her parents then called authorities after discovering her bike on the trail, with authorities scouring the 6,250-acre park and found no sign of her. 

After Ross allegedly left the ransom note, in which he demanded $50,000, police managed to match fingerprints and swooped on his mother's trailer in Milton. 

Two SWAT teams - one state and one federal - swooped on the property in helicopters, with Ross said to have put up a struggle. 

Ross, who appeared disheveled in a mugshot released by New York State Police, was described as a 'recluse' who would care for his 11-year-old daughter for half of the week at his $180,000 three-bedroom home. 

Charlotte was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital after being found, with officials saying that she was in good physical health following the ordeal. 

After the young girl was found, her mother Trisha and father David said: 'We're thrilled. 

'A huge thank you to the FBI, the New York State police, all of the agencies that were mobilized, all of the families, friends, community, neighbors and hundreds of volunteers who supported us and worked tirelessly to bring Charlotte home.'

Ross had a limited criminal history before being charged with kidnapping Charlotte, first being arrested in 1999 on a DWI case which helped lead to his arrest.

He was handed a conditional discharge after pleading guilty, and was handed a $325 fine, as well as suspending his license for 90 days, according to court records.

In 2016, officers from Saratoga Springs police charged him with aggravated harassment, though the outcome of the case is unclear.