If you’re facing criminal charges in Fort Collins or elsewhere in Larimer County, you may have heard the term “crime of violence” attached to your case. This isn’t just descriptive language, it’s a specific legal designation under Colorado law that can dramatically affect sentencing if you’re convicted. Understanding what it means and why it matters is important for anyone navigating the criminal justice system.
How Colorado Defines Crime of Violence: A Larimer County Defense Lawyer Explains
Under Colorado Revised Statutes, a “crime of violence” isn’t a standalone charge but a sentence-enhancing designation that can attach to certain underlying felonies. It generally applies when a person uses, threatens to use, or possesses a deadly weapon during the commission of certain crimes, or causes serious bodily injury or death to another person. Offenses that commonly carry this designation include:
- Assault (First and Second Degree)
- Robbery
- Kidnapping
- Sexual Assault
- Certain Burglary charges
- Manslaughter and Murder
Why the Crime of Violence (COV) Designation Matters in Loveland and Estes Park
The crime of violence label triggers mandatory sentencing provisions. If convicted, a judge is required to impose a prison sentence within a specific range set by statute, often above the standard presumptive range for that offense, and probation is typically off the table. In many cases, sentences must also run consecutively rather than concurrently if multiple crime of violence counts are involved. This significantly raises the stakes compared to a similar charge without the enhancement.
How COV is Added to a Larimer County Criminal Case
Prosecutors in Larimer County must specifically charge a case as a crime of violence and prove the qualifying elements, such as weapon use or serious bodily injury, beyond a reasonable doubt, just like any other element of the underlying offense. This means the designation isn’t automatic; it must be established as part of the case.
Why This Designation Matters for Your Criminal Case in Fort Collins
Because a crime of violence designation can turn a case from a matter of years to a matter of decades in prison, understanding how and why it applies to your charges is critical. It affects everything from bond conditions to plea negotiations to trial strategy.
If you’re facing a charge that includes a crime of violence designation, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-658-0007 to schedule a free initial consultation. Together, we can protect your future.
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko