CBS4 has a hot one to kick off the May sweeps: Pat Sullivan in his own words.

Brian Maass got his hands on three hours' worth of tapes from the interview with former Arapahoe Sheriff Pat Sullivan at the sheriff's department after his arrest on Nov. 29, 2011.

The interview will air in two parts, tonight and Friday, at 10 p.m. on Channel 4.

"It is a three-hour confession from Sullivan," Maass said. "For the first hour it's a masterfully executed interrogation, the mood is very relaxed. Two young guys who he hired, trained and promoted... let him be evasive. Then, after about an hour, they start to ratchet up the pressure and let him know what they have. They say "we know you traded meth for sex. We have videotape.""

It's clear from his reaction that Sullivan was unaware they did an audio and video sting, Maass said. "Once they let him know that, he starts to crack."

Given the interview, CBS4 News Director Tim Wieland said, "you will wonder why he didn't face more charges. And we did talk to prosecutors who handled the Sullivan case to ask them that."

Among the questions Sullivan is asked: Did he have sex with a 13-year-old boy? Did he give someone GHB, the date rape drug? Did he smoke meth in the Sheriff's office? Does he think he's a sex offender?

The story will get an unusual amount of airtime, some seven minutes tonight. Viewers will see "the dynamic in the room in bizarre," Maass said.

Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or