New Delhi, Aug. 11 -- DENVER - Five felony counts of child sexual exploitation. That was what Colorado prosecutors filed against Tyler Boebert, the 21-year-old son of Representative Lauren Boebert, after court records became public Monday, setting off a personal and political crisis for one of Congress's most recognizable conservative voices at a moment when her reelection race was already drawing organized Democratic opposition.

The charges stem from conduct involving a sex tape made with a 17-year-old minor, according to court records reviewed by multiple news organizations including the Denver Post. Tyler Boebert's arrest was connected to a law enforcement sting targeting child sex abuse networks, extortion, and the distribution of il...