Colorado Fentanyl Possession Laws: Charges, Penalties, and Enhanced Sentencing Risks
August 24, 2026
Violating a Colorado protection order can trigger a new criminal charge and contempt proceedings in the same court, and any new sentence must be served back-to-back with the sentence you were already facing, not at the same time. That means a single phone call, text message, or chance encounter can double your exposure while you are still on bond or probation. Denver criminal defense attorneys at the Law Office of Jacob Martinez have defended clients against these charges across Colorado [...]
Restraining orders play a crucial role in protecting individuals from harm and ensuring their safety in Colorado. These legal orders can provide necessary safeguards in situations involving domestic violence, harassment, stalking, or other forms of threatening behavior. Understanding the different types of restraining orders available in Colorado, their specific criteria, and implications is essential for both petitioners seeking protection and respondents facing allegations. This blog explores the various types of restraining orders in Colorado and the importance of seeking legal [...]
Restraining orders, commonly known as protection orders in Colorado, serve as valuable tools to protect individuals from threats, harassment, or violence. However, there are instances where restraining orders are issued unjustly or based on false allegations.
If you find yourself facing an unjust restraining order in Colorado, it’s essential to understand your legal remedies and the steps you can take to challenge it. In this blog, we will delve into the process of challenging restraining orders that may have [...]
Many people think of protective orders and restraining orders as interchangeable. The truth is that they are two very different things in Colorado.
Here’s what you need to know about these two distinct orders, how they’re different, and what happens if one is violated.
Colorado Restraining OrdersRestraining orders are court-issued. They demand that a person suspected of domestic abuse or violence avoid contact with a victim.
What a Restraining Order IsAnyone who fears for their safety can ask [...]
This question has a simple answer. There is no difference in Colorado.
Protective orders, also commonly referred to as restraining orders, are intended to stop one person from harming another. It’s also referred to as a protection order. Therefore, we will use these three terms interchangeably.
Unfortunately, answering many of the other questions surrounding these orders isn’t so simple.
How do protective orders work? What are the terms of a protective order, and what happens if you violate one? If [...]
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 [...]
Most criminal cases in Denver do not end with a jury verdict. They end with a decision: whether to accept a plea agreement, reject the offer, keep negotiating, or prepare for trial. That decision can shape your record, your freedom, your sentence, your probation terms, and your future long after the court date.
A plea bargain is not just “taking a deal.” It is a legal agreement that may involve reduced charges, dismissed counts, sentencing limits, probation terms, restitution, treatment [...]