Juneau, Alaska ? One current and two former Alaska legislators pleaded not guilty Friday to extortion – one man sought a plum job in the Barbados, prosecutors claim – and taking bribes to support legislation benefiting an oil services company.

Prosecutors allege the scheme unfolded as lawmakers weighed a new petroleum profits tax structure and a new contract for a natural gas pipeline last year.

Pete Kott, the former House speaker, explicitly said during a teleconference with company officials that he would support the pipeline and the company’s preferred version of the tax proposal if he was made warden of a prison the company was building in the Caribbean, according to the indictment.

“You’ll get your gas line, the governor gets his bill, and I’ll get my job in Barbados,” he told company executives, the indictment states.

The tax passed, but the contract for the pipeline negotiated by former Gov. Frank Murkowski was never approved.

The indictment does not name the company, but an attorney for VECO Corp. said it was the company involved.

Rep. Victor Kohring of Wasilla, Kott of Eagle River and Bruce Weyhrauch of Juneau, all Republicans, were arrested Friday.

Kott is accused of accepting $8,993 in payments, $2,750 in polling expenses and a future contract as a lobbyist in exchange for his support of the pipeline and a tax proposal that favored the company, according to court documents.

Kohring is accused of demanding and accepting up to $2,600 in cash and a $3,000 job for a relative from VECO executives in exchange for his support. The indictment also alleges Kohring sought but did not receive a $17,000 loan for credit card debt.

Weyhrauch is charged with helping advance the oil service company’s causes in exchange for the promise of legal work in the future for the company, the indictment said.

FBI spokesman Eric Gonzalez said the arrests stemmed from an investigation that led federal agents last summer to raid the offices of at least six lawmakers, including Kott and Weyhrauch.

Weyhrauch did not run for re-election to his house seat in November. Kott, a former House speaker, lost a bid to retain his seat in the August primary. It was not clear Friday if they ever took the jobs they were allegedly promised after they left the Legislature; however, Kott is not a registered lobbyist.

Kohring was charged with extortion, attempted extortion, bribery and conspiracy. Kott and Weyhrauch each face four counts, including extortion, bribery and wire or mail fraud.