COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina's agriculture commissioner pleaded innocent Thursday to charges of taking payoffs to protect a cockfighting ring.

Charles Sharpe, 65, was indicted on charges including extortion and money laundering. He was accused of accepting at least $20,000 from an organization involved in breeding and raising birds for cockfighting in exchange for helping the group avoid legal trouble.

Cockfighting is illegal in South Carolina.

Sharpe, who is the highest ranking state official to be indicted in recent memory, surrendered to federal authorities Thursday morning. He would not talk with reporters after his hearing in federal court in which he was freed on a $100,000 unsecured bond.

"Mr. Sharpe maintains his innocence," his attorney John Felder said. "He certainly denies the charges."

Gov. Mark Sanford suspended Sharpe, which is required by the South Carolina Constitution. He'll search for an interim commissioner to appoint. If convicted, Sharpe would automatically lose his office.

U.S. Attorney J. Strom Thurmond Jr. said Sharpe agreed to escort a law enforcement officer to the South Carolina Gamefowl Management Association's cockfighting building in Aiken County that was called "The Testing Facility." The group wanted to persuade the officer that the activities were legal.

Sharpe lied to the officer and said the fighting, which attracted spectators from multiple states, was legal because it was only used to test the "bloodline" and hardiness of the birds, Thurmond said. But, people paid to enter animals in the competition where the birds were allowed to fight to the death.

Sharpe didn't know the officer was working undercover for the FBI and recorded the conversation, according to the indictment. Sharpe later received two payments from the group that he listed on campaign finance reports.

The arena was shut down last November and more than 100 people were charged with participating in a cockfight, which is a misdemeanor in South Carolina, punishable by a maximum $100 fine or 30 days in jail.

The indictment also said Sharpe attempted to persuade the candidate for Aiken County sheriff that the bird operation passed legal muster.

"He was alleging that he had an opinion from the South Carolina attorney general's office," Thurmond said. The opinion was fake.

The candidate for sheriff, Michael Hunt, who was elected last year, also worked undercover for federal investigators.

The 24-page indictment said Sharpe took the payoffs in 2002 and 2003 while he was a state lawmaker and after he was elected to statewide office.

State Law Enforcement Division Chief Robert Stewart said it was difficult to conduct a criminal investigation while the defendant was running for office.

"If we did not play the case out to its logical conclusion people might forever remain undiscovered," Stewart said.

Thurmond also said Sharpe took campaign contributions to influence regulation that benefited the group.

A former SLED agent, Keith Stokes, was charged in connection with the case and pleaded innocent Thursday. Stewart said Stokes was fired in February as a result of the investigation.

Sharpe, a Republican, served in the South Carolina House from 1985 until 2002 and was chairman of the Agriculture Committee. In 2002, he was elected agriculture commissioner.

Sharpe is responsible for developing and maintaining agriculture markets for the state. In January, Sharpe and Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer signed a trade deal with Cuba's import agency that calls for the buying $10 million in South Carolina agricultural goods.

If convicted, Sharpe faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each of the two counts of extortion; 20 years and a fine of $500,000 on each of the seven counts of money laundering; and five years and a fine of $250,000 on each of three counts of making false statements to federal law enforcement officials. There are no mandatory minimum sentences on the charges.

Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, called cockfighting barbaric and called for Sharpe's resignation. Pacelle said Sharpe used his position to help make South Carolina's law prohibiting cockfighting one of the weakest in the nation.

"In exchange for thousands of dollars, he has allegedly used his connections and his stature not only to enrich himself, but also to provide protection for an organized criminal network of cockfighters," Pacelle said. "Commissioner Sharpe should resign from office effective immediately."

House Speaker David Wilkins said he was troubled to learn of the charges against his longtime colleague.

"If these allegations are indeed proven true, it is a sad day for the citizens of South Carolina who demand and deserve the highest ethical standards from their public officials," Wilkins said.