The Anatomy of Theft Charges in Colorado

1. The Anatomy of Theft Charges in Colorado A thief is a thief, irrespective of whether he has stolen a diamond ring or a pencil. But with respect to law, both of these situations would fall under different categories of the same crime called theft, which would significantly impact (by extending or reducing) the consequences that come following this crime. In simpler terms, the person stealing the diamond ring would face severe penalties, while the one stealing the pencil would not face such severe penalties since it would be considered a petty theft. Depending upon the value of the stolen item(s), theft crimes are categorized into three categories in the state of Colorado: petty charges, misdemeanor charges, and felony charges. A quick look at the penalties for theft charges in each of these three categories: 1. Petty Offense When the stolen item values less than $50, it is considered as a petty offense. The penalties can include imprisonment for a few days to a maximum of 6 months, a fine, and a conviction of the same on their criminal record. 2. Misdemeanor Charges

2. There are three classes of misdemeanor charges in theft crimes in this state: •For class 1 misdemeanor theft (when the value of the stolen item(s) is more than $750 but no more than $2000), a penalty of up to 18 months in jail along with a $5000 fine is expected. •For class 2 misdemeanor theft (when the value of the stolen item(s) is between $300 to $750), the standard penalty is one year in jail along with a $1000 fine. • includes a possible six months jail sentence along with a fine. For class 3 misdemeanor theft (when the value of the stolen item(s) is between $50 to $300), the penalty usually 3. Felony Charges Felony theft charges are the most serious, the lowest-level felony being class 6 and the highest-level felony being class •If a person steals an item(s) that is over $1 million in value, by using force or intimidation, it is considered a class 1 felony theft and might result in life imprisonment and a $1 million fine. •Class 2 felony charge includes stealing item(s) which are over $1 million in value, resulting in a jail sentence ranging from 8 to 24 years, along with a $1 million fine. •When the value of item(s) stolen ranges from $1,00,000 to $1 million, it is considered a class 3 felony charge and results in a jail sentence of 4 to 12 years with an added fine on top. •A person is charged with class 4 felony charges when he steals items valued at $20,000 to $1,00,000. The standard penalties include 2 to 6 years imprisonment along with a possible fine. •When the value of the stolen item(s) is between $5000 to $20,000, it is a class 5 felony charge and could possibly be accompanied by a jail sentence of 1 to 3 years, along with a possible fine. • a jail sentence of 1 year to 18 months, and can also include some fines. When the value of the stolen item(s) is between $2000 to $5000, it is a class 6 felony charge, which could result in An experienced Colorado criminal defense attorneycan do for you what you wouldn’t be able to do for yourself. He can fight for you at every step of the legal proceedings by presenting strong defenses and pointing out the gaps and flaws to make your case strong. He can also help you get rid of your conviction on your criminal record. The Law Offices Of Steven J Pisani, LLC Denver, CO 80202 www.pisanilaw.com (303) 635-6768