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Thompson Appears In Denver Court, Formally Charged

DENVER (CBS4) --A man accused of kidnapping an 8 year-old Denver girl and sexually assaulting her was formally charged in a Denver courtroom Saturday morning.

Bret Lee Luckett Thompson is charged with second degree kidnapping, a class 2 felony and sexual assault on a child, a class 4 felony. He arrived back in Colorado on Friday after his arrest in New Jersey.

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Bret Lee Thompson (credit: Denver Police Dept.)

Thompson, 27, was checked into the Denver jail early Friday afternoon. He was arrested June 13 in North Brunswick, N.J. after a nationwide manhunt, where police say he was sleeping in the back of his van. He had waived extradition from New Jersey.

CBS4's Andrea Lopez talked with Thompson in jail on Saturday morning. He said he would only tell his story if two conditions were met. Those conditions: a binding contract that his 72-year-old adoptive mother would be financially taken care of and a college fund set up for the alleged victim. CBS4 does not pay for interviews.

The Denver district attorney has charged Thompson with sexual assault, kidnapping and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. He is suspected of abducting the girl June 2 from an alley where she was playing with a friend and driving away with her.

The girl was found less than two hours later at a gas station three miles away. Her recollection to details about her attacker led police to Thompson.

Thompson's mother, Sylvia Luckett, was in the courtroom when Thompson made his first appearance on Saturday. She has a degenerative eye disease.

""I could see the outline of him, so I can't really tell what his face looks like. I think he did glance over at me," said Sylvia.

She said it was difficult to describe her feelings about the proceedings.

"Kind of numb. I have a feeling... I really have to digest all of this," said Sylvia.

Thompson is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday for a second advisement hearing. He remains in custody on a $1 million bond.

A restraining order is in place against Thompson to protect the alleged victim and any witnesses in the case.

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