A man identified by authorities as a former pilot for the Heritage Christian Center is being sought on allegations he repeatedly sexually assaulted two brothers over a period of years.
Jefferson County officials said today that after a search last week of the Jefferson County home of James Craig Bird, 62, they have reason to believe there “may be additional victims of crimes that have gone undetected and unreported.”
According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s department, there is an active warrant for Bird on multiple counts of sexual assault on a child and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He is believed to be overseas.
Jacki Kelley, spokeswoman for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, said the allegations are that Bird had sexual contact with juveniles and provided drugs and alcohol to his alleged victims.
Investigators allege that the Heritage Christian Center was the place where Bird first met his victims.
According to court documents, a woman and her three sons attended the church and met Bird there in 2004.
At the time, Bird was the church’s pilot, the family told investigators.
A person answering the phone at the Heritage Christian Center today said the church has not had a plane for a number of years and Bird is not a current member of the staff.
Over a period of time, Bird — known to the family as “Craig Bird” — provided care and financial support for the three boys.
During the course of the friendship, Bird began spending a great deal of time with the boys, who were 14 to 17 years old, according to Kelley.
Kelley said as the months passed, the mother believed that Bird was a positive male role model in her sons’ lives and her trust in Bird grew.
She allowed the boys to spend some nights and weekends at Bird’s houses in Aurora and Jefferson County.
Bird essentially became a second caregiver, providing financial support for clothing, braces and other personal items for the boys, according to Kelley.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit for Bird, one of the boys said he was sexually assaulted by Bird at least 100 times in the past three years.
The teenager said that he had lived with Bird during that time and did not pay rent. He told investigators that Bird bought him anything he wanted, took him on trips, paid for his schooling and bought him a Toyota Camry.
The teenager said Bird also physically assaulted him many times by slapping and punching him and once held a knife to his throat during an argument.
The alleged victim said that after each argument, Bird would apologize to him and then sexually assault him.
In March, the youth moved back to his mother’s house. But about four months later he claimed he was lured back to Bird’s house with gifts and a promise of a trip to Romania. He said he went to Romania with Bird and returned on Sept. 25.
He claimed that while in Romania, Bird sexually assaulted him.
The court documents allege that Bird, identified as the one-time pilot for Bishop Dennis Leonard, senior pastor at the Christian Heritage Center, would buy teenagers motorcycles, cars, IPODs and expensive watches.
The mother of the three boys told investigators that she was concerned Bird was trying to take her sons from her by taking them out of the country.
She said Bird had all three boys’ social security cards, passports, birth certificates and all other identifying information about them.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said Bird is currently abroad.
In September, one of the children told his mother that he and one of his brothers had been sexually assaulted by Bird.
The mother immediately reported the allegations to authorities and on Nov. 11 Jefferson County investigators executed a search warrant at Bird’s home.
Jefferson County authorities said the Douglas County Sheriff’s office investigated Bird in the late 1990s for sexual assault on a child.
However, the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s office declined to prosecute because the alleged victim moved outside of the United States and told prosecutors he had no plans of moving back.
Anyone with information regarding Bird is asked to contact investigator Matt Clark at 303-271-5640.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
