RIFLE, Colo. — Tyler Boebert, the son of U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, was arrested in Rifle Tuesday afternoon on nearly two dozen charges, including five felonies, related to a string of vehicle break-ins and credit card thefts.
The Rifle Police Department announced the arrest of Tyler Jay Boebert, 18, in a social media post on Tuesday evening.
According to court documents, the investigation began the morning of Feb. 20 after a woman reported that someone broke into her vehicle and stole her wallet. Her bank app showed her card was used at the following locations between 10:58 p.m. on Feb. 19 and 4:55 a.m. on Feb. 20:
- A Kum N Go on East 26th Street in Rifle
- A Loves gas station in Parachute
- A McDonalds on Taughenbaugh Boulevard in Rifle
- A Kum N Go next to the McDonalds
Court documents show her card was used for a $717 purchase on Shein.com at 6:14 a.m. on Feb. 20, but the payment was declined. The card was also rejected at the Starbucks inside the City Market in Rifle around 5:20 p.m. on Feb. 20.
During the first Kum N Go trip, the suspect used the victim's card to purchase diesel fuel for a Ford F-250 pickup truck. A group of "mid teen juveniles" was then captured on surveillance video at the Loves gas station, court documents state.
One of the males seen in the surveillance video was wearing a gray hoodie with "GRIT GLORY" on the front and "Shooters Grill" with what appeared to be a revolver on the back. He was identified as Tyler Boebert. Lauren Boebert used to own the Shooters Grill restaurant in Rifle, the arrest affidavit reads.
After making the purchases, the group of teens got into the same Ford F-250 seen at the Kum N Go. Tyler was spotted getting in the driver's seat.
Investigators received information about a second vehicle trespass at a Rifle apartment complex. The victim's wallet, which contained her debit card and Colorado driver's license, was stolen from the glove box. Court documents show the second victim's card was used for a $51.19 purchase at McDonalds in Parachute around 1:28 a.m. on Feb. 21.
Two more vehicle trespasses were reported, bringing the total to four.
During the third vehicle trespass — which was at the same Rifle apartment complex, roughly 100 yards from the second victim's vehicle — the victim's cards, her Colorado driver's license and $75 in cash were stolen. The victim reported that one of her cards was used for a $175 purchase at a Kum N Go, but the charge was denied, court documents state.
Only $2 in change was stolen during the fourth vehicle trespass, according to court documents. The location of the fourth vehicle trespass was redacted.
Investigators met up with Tyler on Tuesday at his home. When asked where he was between Feb. 19 and Feb. 20, he said he "could not remember clearly," according to court documents. He then said he was hanging out with about 15 friends but could not identify them because he did not know their names, the affidavit continues.
According to court documents, the investigators pressed Tyler and asked where he was between 10 p.m. on Feb. 19 and 5 a.m. on Feb. 20. He said he picked up two friends at Deerfield Park and then picked up a third friend in north Rifle at a townhouse. According to his arrest affidavit, Tyler said he did not know his friends' names, but when investigators brought up the names, the 18-year-old confirmed they were with him.
Court documents state the location and timing of Tyler and his friends matched with the theft and when the group of teens was captured on the surveillance video at the Loves. When investigators asked what vehicle Tyler used to pick up his friends, he pointed to a maroon 2005 F-250 pickup truck parked in the driveway.
Tyler was arrested and booked into the Garfield County Jail on 22 charges, including four felony counts of criminal possession of ID documents of multiple victims, one felony count of conspiracy to commit a felony and more than a dozen misdemeanor and petty offenses, including contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
During a court appearance Wednesday, Tyler was granted a personal recognizance bond based on his lack of criminal history. His next court appearance is scheduled for 8:15 a.m. on April 11.
Rep. Lauren Boebert was online during Wednesday's court hearing but did not speak. Her press secretary sent Denver7 the following statement:
"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. It breaks my heart to see my child struggling and, in this situation, especially when he has been provided multiple opportunities to get his life on track. I will never give up on him and I will continue to be there for him. As an adult and father, Tyler will take responsibility for his actions and should be held accountable for poor decisions just like any other citizen."
Facing a tough reelection bid, the Republican congresswoman, who currently represents Colorado's 3rd Congressional District, is now vying to represent the state's 4th Congressional District.
Last month, Lauren Boebert's ex-husband and Tyler's father, Jayson Boebert, was charged with disorderly conduct, third-degree trespass and obstructing a peace officer for a Jan. 6 incident at a restaurant in Silt in which he reportedly argued with the congresswoman before engaging in an alleged drunken outburst with officers who were trying to get him to leave the premises.
He was also charged with harassment, use of a prohibited weapon while drunk and third-degree assault after reportedly assaulting Tyler during the early hours of Jan. 9. Arresting documents allege Jayson Boebert had returned home from a Silt bar around 1 a.m. when he assaulted his son before grabbing a rifle as his son called law enforcement for help.
