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Sentencing Hearing Under Way In Jefferson County Sex Assault Case

GOLDEN, Colo. (CBS4) - Prosecutors in Jefferson County are fighting to get the maximum sentence for James Craig Bird, the 65-year-old man who admitted to sexually assaulting several children as part of a plea deal.

In December James Craig Bird pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a child by a person in a position of trust after earlier declaring that he was innocent through a video he posted online from an unknown location in Europe. Scotland Yard arrested him in November in London.

On Friday morning a sentencing hearing started for Bird, and the hearing continued past noon. Bird faces eight to 24 years in prison but could stay there for the rest of his life if he doesn't complete the requirements set for sex offenders.

Several of Bird's victims testified at the hearing, and one victim broke down and cried while discussing the abuse he suffered at the hands of Bird.

One of Bird's victims was the teenage son of a friend of Bird's. He called Bird "dad" and lived with him for three years. They met at the former Heritage Christian Center in Denver, where Bird was a pilot.

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