False Imprisonment is a common Domestic Violence charge in Fort Collins, Loveland and across Larimer County. Let’s take a closer look at how this crime is charged and the related penalties.
Larimer County False Imprisonment Lawyer: How is False Imprisonment Charged in Colorado?
The Larimer County, Colorado law definition of False Imprisonment – C.R.S. 18-3-303 – is:
Confines or detains can be even just a moment. We have seen clients charged with this for simply blocking a doorway when trying to have a conversation with a spouse. It’s basically not allowing a person the freedom of movement, even for just a second.
Penalty for False Imprisonment in Loveland and Estes Park
In Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park, False Imprisonment is usually charged as a misdemeanor, unless certain aggravators apply. As a class 2 misdemeanor, the penalty for False Imprisonment is up to 120 days in the Larimer County Jail. However, if one of the following aggravators apply, then it is a class 5 felony:
- The person uses force or threat of force to confine or detain the other person; and
- The person confines or detains the other person for twelve hours or longer; or
- The person confines or detains another person less than eighteen years of age in a locked or barricaded room under circumstances that cause bodily injury or serious emotional distress; and
- Such confinement or detention was part of a continued pattern of cruel punishment or unreasonable isolation or confinement of the child; or
- The person confines or detains another person less than eighteen years of age by means of tying, caging, chaining, or otherwise using similar physical restraints to restrict that person’s freedom of movement under circumstances that cause bodily injury or serious emotional distress.
The class 5 felony False Imprisonment is punishable by 1 to 3 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
If you or someone you love has been charged with False Imprisonment, 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.
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