The teenage son of GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert, Tyler Boebert, is facing possible felony charges over a series of vehicle break-ins that involved him and a group of other youths taking advantage of stolen credit cards.
The 18-year-old was identified as a suspect after being spotted in a gas station surveillance video. At the time, he was with a group of other youths when one of the stolen cards was used for a purchase by someone else.
Series of Vehicle Break-Ins
Tyler's arrest affidavit noted that he was wearing a hoodie from Shooter's Grill, the restaurant that was once owned by his mother and was also recognized by law enforcement personnel from previous encounters.
Additionally, the name of the other person who used the stolen credit card, who officials believe is a juvenile, was redacted. Law enforcement officers in the small western Colorado city of Rifle announced on Tuesday that the suspect was arrested in relation to a recent string of vehicle break-ins as well as property thefts, as per ABC News.
They noted that the teenager is facing possible felony charges of criminal possession of identification documents that involve multiple victims and conspiracy to commit a felony. He is also facing more than 15 additional misdemeanor and petty offenses.
On Wednesday, Tyler was released after briefly appearing in court by video from prison. He was seen wearing a black-and-white striped uniform. In a statement, defense lawyer Peyton Miller told Magistrate Jill McConaughy that prosecutors had agreed to have the suspect released without bail.
Another prosecutor told the defense lawyer that juveniles were suspected of being involved in stealing and using the stolen credit cards. The judge then ordered that the names of any of them be redacted from the affidavit.
Series of Legal Challenges
The Republican lawmaker released a statement in response to the news about her son's arrest and potential charges. She said, "I love my son Tyler, who has been through some very difficult, public challenges for a young man and the subject of attention that he didn't ask for," according to CBS News.
The lawmaker added that her heart was broken to see her child struggling, especially after being provided multiple opportunities to get his life back on track. Boebert continued by saying that his son would take responsibility for his actions and should be held accountable for his poor decisions, just like any other citizen of the United States.
Tyler's arrest marks the latest development in a series of legal troubles that the Boeberts have been facing. In January, the Republican representative's ex-husband, Jayson Boebert, was arrested in relation to two separate incidents.
Boebert was granted a restraining order last month against Jayson after she accused him of attacking Tyler during a fight on Jan. 9. The series of issues threaten to overshadow the lawmaker's political career and re-election prospects.
The Republican herself has a history of trouble with the law, as in 2016, she was arrested after skipping a court-ordered hearing. It was found that she had rolled her truck into a ditch onto a rural road, said Business Insider.
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