Two California teenagers are facing serious criminal charges after police say they tried to steal $66 million in bitcoin during a violent home invasion in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The suspects are Jackson Sullivan, 17, from San Luis Obispo, and Skylar LaPaille, 16, from Morro Bay. Police say the teens traveled more than 600 miles from California to Arizona to carry out the crime.

FOX10 Phoenix reports that, according to court documents, the teens arrived at a home in Scottsdale on the morning of January 31. They were dressed like delivery drivers and carried a box and a dolly to look convincing.

When someone inside the home opened the door, police say the teens forced their way inside. They allegedly threw two adults to the ground and restrained them with duct tape.
Investigators say one of the teens demanded access to the homeowner’s bitcoin. When the male victim said he did not own any digital assets, police say the suspects became more violent.

Court records say the victims were assaulted while restrained. Meanwhile, an adult son who was elsewhere in the house managed to hide and call 911. Police arrived at the residence while the invasion was still happening. Officers reported seeing signs of forced entry and an active struggle inside the house.

When officers approached, the suspects ran from the home and escaped in a blue Subaru. The vehicle had stolen license plates, according to police.

Police chased the car through nearby streets. Court documents say the vehicle drove into wrong-way traffic before stopping at a dead end in a shopping center parking lot.

Officers conducted a high-risk stop and arrested both teens around 11:35 AM. No officers or victims were seriously injured during the arrest. Inside the car and at the crime scene, police found duct tape, zip ties, delivery-style uniforms, and a moving dolly. Officers also recovered a 3D-printed gun.

The gun did not have ammunition, and police said they were not sure if it could fire. Investigators are still reviewing its condition.

Both teens were taken to a juvenile detention facility in Maricopa County. Prosecutors later announced plans to try them as adults.

Each teen faces eight felony charges. These include kidnapping, aggravated assault, and burglary. Sullivan also faces an additional charge for fleeing from police.

The teens were later released on $50,000 bail each and ordered to wear ankle monitors.
In interviews with police, LaPaille said he was pressured into committing the crime.

According to court documents, LaPaille said Sullivan asked him if he wanted to go to Arizona to “tie people up to get $66 million in cryptocurrency.” He told investigators they were contacted through the encrypted messaging app Signal.

“The defendant got the information from someone known as ‘Red’ and someone known as ‘8,’” police wrote, noting that all communication occurred over Signal. According to police, those individuals provided the home’s address and sent the teens $1,000 to buy supplies.

Court documents say the money was used to buy disguises and restraints at stores like Target and Home Depot.

On the same day as the home invasion, one of the teens’ parents discovered text messages describing the plan. The messages included details about dressing up as delivery drivers and tying people up.

The parent contacted police in California, who passed the information to Scottsdale authorities. However, the warning arrived after the crime had already taken place.
Neighbors in the Scottsdale area said the incident was shocking. Many said they had never seen anything like it in their community.

Experts say the case is part of a growing trend known as “wrench attacks.” These crimes involve using physical force to steal digital assets instead of hacking online accounts.

Security researcher Jameson Lopp has recorded about 70 similar attacks worldwide in 2025. That number is much higher than in previous years.