When Denver Police Use Confidential Informants: How the Defense Challenges Reliability
September 12, 2026
Property crimes involve the theft, destruction or unlawful entrance into the property of another. In Colorado, there are many criminal offenses that fall under this category. Some of the most commonly charged property crimes include arson, burglary, and robbery.
If you are currently facing a property crime charge, it is important to consult with an experienced Colorado defense attorney as soon as possible to make sure that your rights are protected, and to start building the best possible defense.
Below [...]
The men and women who serve our country fight many battles overseas, but for a number of veterans, the fighting doesn’t stop when they step off the battlefield. Vets may experience PTSD, injuries from combat, or mental illnesses that follow them home.
Such is the case with Cory Hixson, a Marine veteran who suffered a traumatic brain injury while he was serving and received a Purple Heart – as well as other awards – for his service.
In mid-March, Hixson [...]
The Colorado Springs Police Department used to have an Impact Unit that worked to handle property crimes. They were very effective, too. Between January and mid-September of this year, the Impact Unit recovered $1 million worth of stolen vehicles, $52,000 worth of stolen property, and made 1,900 arrests related to property crimes.
There was a problem, however. Dedicating officers to the Impact Unit meant that there weren’t enough police patrolling the streets. Many officers were being put at risk, and [...]
If you steal, you could be charged with theft.
If you steal, you could be charged with burglary.
What’s the difference?
First off, both charges are very serious. Both burglaries and thefts of over $1,000 are considered felony offenses. The two can also be charged together, along with similar crimes like trespassing.
But theft and burglary are not the same action. Below we will define and explore the penalties for both theft and burglary in Colorado.
All about Colorado Theft[...]The term “property crimes” may refer to a broad range of offenses relating to theft or destruction of property, from low-level misdemeanors to more serious felonies.
Under Colorado law, property crimes are penalized harshly, and consequences may become more serious when they involve harm or threat to other people. We’ve included a guide to seven of the most common types of property crimes below.
Arson. You can be charged with arson for intentionally starting a fire or using explosives to [...]
A confidential informant almost never speaks to the judge who signs the warrant. Instead, the judge reads a detective’s sworn summary of what an unnamed person allegedly said. That gap can become one of the most important issues in a Denver drug, weapons, theft, or other criminal case.
The defense does not cross-examine the informant when the warrant is issued. At that stage, the focus is on the affidavit itself: what the informant allegedly knew, how police verified the information, [...]
Colorado fentanyl possession charges can become serious felonies at relatively low weight thresholds. The law focuses on the weight of the material, compound, mixture, or preparation containing fentanyl rather than only the amount of pure fentanyl inside it. That means a small-looking quantity of powder or counterfeit pills can result in a much more serious charge once the substance is tested and weighed.
Weight is only part of the case. What the accused person knew, whether the state can prove [...]
Colorado COCCA charges are racketeering charges used when prosecutors claim a person participated in an enterprise through a pattern of criminal activity. These cases often grow out of drug, theft, burglary, fraud, identity theft, or financial investigations that are later reframed as organized conduct.
A COCCA count is not automatic just because several people were charged together or because prosecutors believe more than one crime occurred. The state must prove specific structural elements, including an enterprise and a pattern of [...]