Colorado Fentanyl Possession Laws: Charges, Penalties, and Enhanced Sentencing Risks
August 24, 2026
In our state, you won’t find a looting law on the books. In fact, only a handful of other states have actual, specific looting laws.
Here, if you are found looting, other charges like theft, burglary, or robbery will apply. Read more to learn about these charges and their penalties.
TheftTheft is when an individual knowingly takes something of value without another’s permission. Even if they did not take the item of value themselves, but received or accepted stolen [...]
A teen girl shoving lipstick into her purse. A man trying on clothes and wearing them as he walks out of the store without paying. A kid taking a toy because he really wanted it. Or maybe a celebrity stealing something from a store when they could have easily paid for it.
These are the kinds of things many of us imagine when we think about shoplifting. It is a “minor” crime that takes little effort, causes little harm, and [...]
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 [...]
When you think of theft penalties, what do you think of?
Jail time? Fines? Paying the business or property owners back for the things that were stolen? It depends on the type of theft charge you face.
But while all of the above penalties may be assigned in court, consequences do not end with a judge’s gavel. In Colorado, a theft charge or conviction can cost you your job and opportunities for future employment.
No one is safe from these [...]
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[...]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 [...]