OURAY, Colorado (KDVR) — A local Colorado newspaper says someone stole many copies of its latest issue after it published a report of a teen girl’s rape said to have occurred at the home of the police chief in Ouray.

According to the Ouray County Plaindealer‘s reporting, the 17-year-old girl told investigators she was repeatedly raped by three different teens in May 2023. While the Plaindealer reports the alleged crime happened at the police chief’s home, the chief himself has not been accused of the crime.

A Colorado Bureau of Investigation affidavit obtained and reported on by the Plaindealer says that the suspects had been drinking and using drugs. The victim told police she went in and out of consciousness, however, she said she had not taken any drugs.

All three suspects, who deny the allegations, posted bail and have been released from jail.

Missing newspapers

Ouray County’s Plaindealer newspaper released the story on the front page of its Thursday paper — but newsroom officials say many of the papers disappeared.

The Plaindealer said on its Facebook page that someone stole copies of the newspaper from the racks in Ouray. According to representatives of the paper, someone paid four quarters into each box and took all the papers inside.

“It’s pretty clear that someone didn’t want the community to read the news this week,” said the Plaindealer in a newsletter.

FOX31 reached out to the Ouray County Sheriff’s Office and confirmed that the department received calls about the papers and has designated an investigator to the case.

“We’re not going to stop doing our job, which is to shine light on important issues in our community and keep you informed,” the Plaindealer said. “This person is not going to shut down the freedom of the press by stealing a few hundred newspapers. Our community won’t stand for it and we won’t, either.”