NEW YORK—British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell pleaded not guilty on Friday to federal sex trafficking charges in the case accusing her of helping the late financier Jeffrey Epstein recruit and sexually abuse girls. Maxwell, 59, entered her plea through her lawyer before U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan in Manhattan. The charges had been included in an eight-count indictment unveiled on March 29. It was the first time Maxwell had faced a judge in person since her arrest last July. Prosecutors have accused Maxwell of grooming and paying a girl who, starting at age 14, gave Epstein nude massages and engaged in sex acts with him from 2001 to 2004, and said the girl recruited others to offer erotic massages. Maxwell previously pleaded not guilty to charges she helped Epstein recruit and groom three other girls for him to sexually abuse from 1994 to 1997, and committed perjury. Epstein, 66, killed himself …