Felonies

Anyone who is arrested is concerned about their future. However, if you’re facing felony charges in Colorado, you could be facing jail time regardless of how serious the crime is you are charged with. Colorado classifies crimes by class and level depending on the severity. The current classifications are class 1 felonies, class 2 felonies, class 3 felonies, class 4 felonies, class 5 felonies, class 6 felonies, levels 1 through 4 drug felonies and unclassified felonies. Unclassified felonies are those that are not addressed in other areas of the Colorado constitution and a conviction will normally result in substantial fines and time in a state prison.

Felonies, jail time and other penalties

Anyone who is facing a felony charge in Colorado could be potentially facing a jail sentence of between twelve months and natural life. Even a minor felony charge could mean you are going to face supervised probation as well as time in a county jail. Any violation of the law during supervised probation could result in jail time for the additional crime as well as the original crime. Here are some of the possible sentences for certain felonies in Colorado:

  • Class 1 felony – these are crimes against a person and would include a conviction for murder. A conviction could mean life imprisonment and in some cases, the guilty party could be facing the death penalty.
  • Class 2 felony – possession of opiates and heroin could mean you could be sentenced to be between eight years and 24 years’ prison time as well as fines that could cripple you upon your release. It’s not uncommon for fines to be as high as $1,000,000.
  • Drug felonies – while Colorado has legalized some marijuana, you can still be arrested for cultivation if you are growing for any purpose other than personal use. Depending on the amount of drugs you have and the type of drug, you could be facing anywhere between six months and twelve years’ jail time as well as fines up to $750,000.

Life-long impact after conviction

Whether you’ve been convicted of vehicular homicide, arson or cultivating marijuana, you will have a permanent criminal record that cannot be sealed or expunged. This means in the future, you will be forced to acknowledge a conviction on job applications, credit applications and even applications for housing. You may no longer be eligible for federal student loan assistance or public assistance as a result of a conviction.

I understand that every person facing criminal charges is entitled to an aggressive defense. For more than 30 years’, I’ve been defending clients charged with a whole range of offenses and I’ve developed a reputation for protecting my client’s rights. If you’re facing any type of felony charge in southwest Colorado, call me; Joel Fry, Attorney at Law at (970) 799-3230 immediately for an appointment.

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