Jerry Jeudy arrested: What charges of criminal tampering, domestic violence mean for Broncos WR

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Jerry Jeudy was released on bond from a Denver jail Friday, a day after Arapahoe County Sheriff's deputies arrested the Broncos receiver on a second-degree criminal tampering charge with a domestic violence enhancer.

Jeudy, 23, was initially held without bond, but the woman involved in the dispute said during a court appearance Friday that she never felt threatened by Jeudy and doesn't feel threatened now, Mike Klis of 9News reported. Online records show Jeudy's bond being set at $1,500, which he met Friday, and a May 31 court date. 

Jeudy, 23, was a first-round draft pick by the Broncos during the 2020 NFL Draft. The team released a brief statement shortly after news of Jeudy's arrest was made public.

We are aware of the matter involving Jerry Jeudy and are in the process of gathering more information.

Below are the latest details about Jeudy's arrest, and what the criminal tampering and domestic violence charges against him could mean.

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Why was Jerry Jeudy arrested?

Jeudy was arrested Thursday on charges of second-degree criminal tampering with a domestic violence enhancer. The Arapahoe Sheriff made the arrest and announced it on Twitter.

Jeudy was booked between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Mountain Time, per Ryan O'Halloran of The Denver Post. He was held on a "no bond hold" pending a court hearing. 

Klis reported that "no physical contact" was made between Jeudy and the accuser, who is the mother of Jeudy's one-month-old daughter.

Klis also reported that the police report outlined that "things got crazy" between Jeudy and his accuser. Jeudy stands accused of "withholding [the] baby's car seat, medical records and mother's wallet" from his accuser.

Per Klis, the woman said in court Friday that she called 911 during the dispute in hopes that police would monitor the situation, but she did not intend for Jeudy to be arrested.

The judge determined there was probable cause to charge Jeudy, so the case will move forward. Jeudy did not enter a plea Friday. 

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What is criminal tampering?

The Colorado Legal Defense Group defines criminal tampering as "tampering with the property of another with the intent to annoy, inconvenience, or interrupt utility service." The offense is a class 2 misdemeanor and can be punished by "up to 120 days in jail and/or up to $750 in fines."

There are different degrees of criminal tampering. First-degree tampering "involves tampering with the property of an institution or utility that provides health or safety protection."

Jeudy, however, was specifically charged with tampering in the second degree. That covers a much wider variety of potential actions than first-degree tampering.

The Colorado Legal Defense group cites "cutting a neighbor’s phone line because they talk too loud on the phone late at night" as an example of second-degree tampering. Additionally, the group outlines that "making an unauthorized connection with property of a utility" can constitute second-degree criminal tampering. An example of this would be "connecting [a] cable line to your home without authorization."

What is a domestic violence enhancer?

In Colorado, domestic violence isn't investigated as an independent crime. As the Colorado Legal Defense Group explains, the state treats domestic violence as a "sentencing enhancement or aggravator." Those are added to other charges — like criminal tampering, in Jeudy's case — to increase the punishment for any offense against spouses or dating partners.

So, the domestic violence charges against Jeudy are based on his relationship with the accuser.

How will this domestic violence enhancer impact Jeudy? The underlying criminal tampering charge will still largely dictate his punishment. However, depending on the nature of the crime, a judge could have Jeudy enrolled in a domestic violence treatment program. They could also grant Jeudy's accuser a restraining order against him.

It seems likely that the NFL will investigate the charges against Jeudy as well as part of its personal conduct policy. That could lead him to be placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List or suspended.

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Jacob Camenker Photo

Jacob Camenker is a senior content producer at The Sporting News.