Defending Colorado Identity Theft and Financial Exploitation Charges
October 27, 2026
See if this sounds familiar: “If cops don’t have to worry about arresting people for marijuana, they can pay attention to crimes that actually matter.”
Most of us have heard numerous variations of this argument over the years, but until 2012, it was just theoretical. Then Colorado and Washington legalized recreational marijuana, and researchers and statisticians started chomping at the bit.
Well, a few weeks ago a study was published in Police Quarterly that seems to possibly validate those types [...]
A Colorado Springs man recently arrived home to find his home being burglarized. When he confronted the burglar, the burglar pulled a firearm on the homeowner and pointed it at him as he ran away.
That wasn’t the end, though.
According to police, the homeowner then got into his car and chased the suspect, and came into contact with two more alleged accomplices. All of the suspects were able to flee the crime scene, so the investigation is ongoing.
This [...]
Burglary is typically depicted as someone sneaking in to someone’s house late at night through a window and tiptoeing around to commit theft. However, while this certainly is a form of burglary, it is not the only way that you can receive a burglary charge in our state.
In fact, Colorado’s legal definition of burglary includes many other types of crimes and types of actions. Case-in-point: burglary doesn’t have to involve someone’s home – or even a building.
All told, [...]
Property crimes are taken very seriously in Colorado, as they often have devastating consequences for the victim(s) and/or property owner.
Fortunately, Denver has recently enjoyed a decrease in property crimes. As of this writing, the city has averaged 1917 property crimes per month in 2018, a substantial decrease from last year’s average of 2131 property crimes per month.
Local law enforcement often pays special attention to crimes that are widespread or on the rise, which might lead you to believe [...]
Getting arrested for burglary – or any alleged crime – can be a stressful, confusing, and frightening experience. Regardless of the reason why, though, if you find yourself under arrest, it’s important that you keep a few things in mind.
Actions to Avoid When You Are Put Under ArrestResisting. First, even if you believe you haven’t done anything wrong or unlawful, don’t try to fight back or argue. Not only does this not help your situation, it can aggravate [...]
Defending against Colorado identity theft and financial exploitation charges often begins with a close look at what prosecutors can actually prove about knowledge, intent, permission, authority, and the movement or use of money and identifying information.
Colorado identity theft can be charged as a class 4 felony, while criminal exploitation of an at-risk person involving $500 or more can be charged as a class 3 felony. Related allegations may also involve possession of financial devices, gathering identity information by deception, [...]
There is no single statute of limitations that applies to every Colorado sexual assault or sex crime allegation. Depending on the exact charge, the alleged victim’s age, when the conduct allegedly occurred, whether DNA evidence identifies a suspect, when the offense was reported, and whether the accused spent time outside Colorado, prosecutors may have 20 years, a different statutory period, or no time limit at all.
Those distinctions matter most when an allegation surfaces years or even decades after the [...]
Extradition is about where a criminal case will be handled—not whether the person is guilty. If someone is arrested in Colorado on another state’s warrant, the immediate questions are usually whether to waive extradition, whether bail is available, how long the process may take, and what can actually be challenged before the person is returned.
The same issue can run in the other direction. A person may be arrested in another state because Colorado issued the warrant. In that situation, [...]