Colorado Newspaper Theft Linked to Story on Rape Allegations at Police Chief's Home

Suspect Identified in Newspaper Thefts; Not Connected to Alleged Rape Case

Nearly all copies of the Ouray County Plaindealer, a small-town Colorado newspaper, were stolen from racks on the day it published a story about charges being filed over alleged rapes at an underage drinking party at the police chief's home.
The sexual assault reportedly took place in May 2023 during a party at the police chief's home while he was asleep. Three men, including a relative of the police chief, have been charged.
The newspaper responded by posting the story on social media and removing its website paywall. A new press run was also initiated.
A suspect in the newspaper thefts has been identified and cited by local law enforcement. The suspect returned a garbage bag full of newspapers to the Plaindealer office and confessed to taking them.
The suspect in the newspaper thefts is not related to any of the defendants in the alleged sex assault case or any law enforcement, including the Ouray Police chief and his department.