ERIE, Pa.—A federal judge has denied a request by Erie County Councilman Ebert Beeman to withdraw his guilty plea to Social Security fraud.

The 63-year-old official, well-known for his ultra-libertarian views and related brushes with the law, is set to be sentenced July 20.

District Judge Sean J. McLaughlin denied Beeman's request that he be allowed to stand trial on charges to which he pleaded guilty in March.

Beeman had acknowledged using a fraudulent Social Security number and aliases to apply for two credit cards and two jobs since 2007 but, according to a motion that prompted Wednesday's hearing, Beeman now "firmly believes in his heart he is innocent."

Beeman was elected to council in 2009 and could be removed from office if he's sentenced.