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Jury Finds Loveland Hiker, Biker Attacker Guilty

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4/AP) - A Loveland man accused of attacking female hikers and drivers has been convicted on 18 of 23 counts.

On Thursday, after two days of deliberation, a jury found James Bondsteel, 40, guilty of kidnapping, attempted sexual assault, assault, menacing, tampering with a witness, unlawful sexual contact and aggravated robbery.

James Bondsteel
James Bondsteel (credit: Larimer County Sheriff's Office)

Bondsteel was accused of attacking two female hikers northwest of Fort Collins Sept. 2009. He was also accused of robbing women drivers from a motorcycle while demanding they expose themselves at gunpoint in the spring of 2009.

The two women who were attacked, Nina DeVore and Kim DeVore, who are sisters-in-law, were ecstatic because of the guilty verdict. They spoke with CBS4 after the verdict was read.

They described being jumped in the woods and then that moment when they realized they needed to fight back.

"He's behind my back, his knife is still at my throat," said Nina.

The women said they locked eyes and knew what they had to do.

"We've got to do something to fight and you're waiting for that moment, that opportunity. That eye contact was so powerful looking into each other's eyes and you can see, still, it's really powerful because we didn't have to say anything," said Nina.

"Nina has three kids that were back there at our cabin and I just knew that there was absolutely no way I was going back there without her," said Kim.

"When we both started to fight back, he was taken aback by that. It threw him because now these two women are willing to fight for their lives. And at that point we're using profanity, we're yelling at him. We're very angry. And we have each other going this one guy. And then all of a sudden, he stopped," said Nina.

They said Bondsteel ran into the woods, leaving Kim and Nina changed.

"I am not naive the way I used to be. Nina and I have talked a lot about this. We want women to think about that. Don't be naive, don't be unprepared," said Kim.

"Because if you don't fight back then they take control and who knows what the outcome will be," said Nina.

Both women thanked the Larimer County Sheriff's Department, investigators and prosecutors.

The jury found Bondsteel not guilty of charges relating to another 2009 motorcycle attack. He was also found not guilty on charges of second-degree assault of one of the hikers.

Bondsteel could face up life in prison when sentenced on July 8.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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