GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — Editor's Note: This story discusses child sex abuse. While there are no descriptions of abuse in this story, reader discretion is advised.
Police in Colorado say they've arrested a man accused of child sex crimes in North Carolina, including in Stanly County.
According to the Glenwood Springs Police Department, officers checked information on a Dodge Durango in town on May 9. The car had North Carolina plates, and police discovered the car was tied to 31-year-old James Gillis, who was facing charges in both Stanly and Montgomery counties. Officers said they monitored the car while getting in touch with detectives in North Carolina, and he was known to flee or resist law enforcement.
Officers stopped Gillis and the driver of the car, 31-year-old Jennifer Bryant. However, police say Gillis resisted arrest and Bryant tried to drive away. Bryant didn't succeed, however, and she was detained.
Gillis reportedly kept resisting for a while. Meanwhile, Glenwood Springs Police said they saw three girls in the car and removed them. The children ranged in age from 7 to 12 years old.
Eventually, Gillis was detained. He told officers he had a shotgun in his car, which was right behind where the girls were previously seated. Ammunition was also discovered, and officers said they learned Gillis planned to shoot himself and everyone else near him.
Gillis and Bryant remain in the Garfield County jail in Colorado and are awaiting extradition. All three girls - none of whom were related to Gillis - were placed into protective custody and will be brought back to North Carolina. A small dog that was also present will be available for adoption in Colorado; police noted the animal had been abused.
Gillis is accused of the following crimes in North Carolina:
- Child abuse involving serious bodily injury (two counts)
- 2nd-degree forcible sexual offenses
- Statutory sexual offenses on a child by an adult
- Crimes against nature
Bryant, meanwhile, is believed to be complicit. While she separated from him in the past, Bryant at some point allegedly reconnected with Gillis and the alleged abuses continued. Glenwood Springs police say she is charged with two counts of child abuse causing serious bodily injury.
The department said Gillis likely fled North Carolina with the girls and Bryant when he learned he was suspected of the above crimes. Their plan appeared to involve them traveling to different parts of the United States to remain on the run, supporting themselves by working for mobile food delivery services.
Police also said conversations with the girls suggested additional sex crimes happened between North Carolina and Glenwood Springs, with additional victims in the area.
Glenwood Springs Police noted the girls were able to draw pictures and paint rocks, giving the rocks as gifts to detectives as desk displays. Officers also used their own money to build a care package for the children to help them as they moved into foster care. A woman in the area who saw the arrest also pitched in. She bought food, journals, and books for the girls.
Glenwood Springs is about 157 miles west of Denver. Police are asking any possible victims in the Glenwood Springs area to reach out.
If you or a loved one is facing domestic violence, help is readily available. You can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788. Resources for help are available in both North Carolina and South Carolina.