To many observers, Denver Nuggets center Chris Andersen is a strange bird. From the full body tattoos to his spiked hair, Birdman, as he’s known to his many fans, makes an interesting first impression when he walks into a room. But one thing people probably don’t view him as is a child sex predator.
On Thursday, Andersen’s Colorado home was the scene of a flurry of activity as Douglas County sheriff’s detectives served warrants and seized evidence from his home.
Andersen has been under investigation since February, when the Douglas County sheriff’s office received a tip from California authorities that child porn was either exchanged or downloaded from a computer inside Anderson’s residence.
The national media, whose stories about pedophiles are normally couched in terms that are pejorative, are handling Andersen’s case with a touch of discretion.
The media hasn’t referred to the search of Andersen’s home as a raid — which it was — and no arrests have been made.
Still, the news that Andersen might be involved in child sex crimes sent shockwaves through the NBA.
The allegations were serious enough that the team management severed all ties with Andersen. He is not allowed inside the team facilities and he wasn’t on the bench when the Nuggets held off the Lakers to force a game 7 in the NBA playoffs Thursday night.
The Denver Nuggets organization released a statement to the media on Thursday: “Per team policy, the Nuggets will not coment on any ongoing legal circumstance involving any player or employee.”
Andersen’s attorney, Mark Bryant, doesn’t believe there will be an arrest.
“I believe in Chris. I would ask the citizens of Colorado to give Chris his due,” Bryant wrote. “Like every one of us, he is presumed innocent. At the end of the day, I am confident it will be shown that he did nothing wrong.”
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