Forging someone else’s signature on important documents, like a voting ballot, is charged as Forgery in Fort Collins and Larimer County. The former chairman of the Colorado republican party was convicted of Forgery after signing his ex-wife’s voting ballot. According to the news, the ex called to request a mail in ballot and was told she had already voted. An investigation ensued and the man was arrested and tried for forging her signature. After a 4 hour deliberation, he was found guilty of the felony crime and is set to be sentenced later in January.
Forgery Lawyer in Larimer County: Definition of Forgery
The Larimer, Boulder, and Grand County, Colorado law definition of Forgery as it applies in the above case – C.R.S. 18-5-102(1)(d) and (e) – is:
(d) A public record or an instrument filed or required by law to be filed or legally fileable in or with a public office or public servant; or
(e) A written instrument officially issued or created by a public office, public servant, or government agency;
He could have been charged under part (d) or part (e) for falsely completing someone else’s ballot. A ballot is legally filed with a public office and is officially issued by a public office, so either subsection would apply.
Sentence for Forging SIgnatures – Forgery in Loveland and Estes Park
In Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park, Forgery is a class 5 felony. This means the man is facing a potential 1 to 3 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections and up to $100,000 in fines. I once met a woman who signed her son’s ballot with his permission because he was out of the country at the time. The problem was, she didn’t have power of attorney, so she signed his name, thinking it would be ok. It definitely was not. She was investigated for Forgery because, technically, she forged his signature and filed it with an official public office.