Stalking is charged in Fort Collins and Larimer County when a person is accused of repeatedly contacting or following someone after making threats or causing the alleged victim to experience emotional distress. A Colorado man was recently sentenced to 45 years in prison – the maximum sentence – after he was charged with Stalking and Attempted Murder. According to the report, the man had been following his estranged wife, even putting a tracking device on her car. At one point, he located her with her new boyfriend and opened fire on them. The boyfriend shielded the estranged wife, protecting her from being shot. He ended up being shot seven times, including twice in the head. The man eventually pled guilty to Attempted First Degree Murder and was sentenced to the maximum.
Larimer County Stalking Attorney: Definition of Stalking in Colorado
The Larimer County, Colorado law definition of Stalking – C.R.S. 18-3-602 – is:
(a) Makes a credible threat to another person and, in connection with the threat, repeatedly follows, approaches, contacts, or places under surveillance that person, a member of that person’s immediate family, or someone with whom that person has or has had a continuing relationship; or
(b) Makes a credible threat to another person and, in connection with the threat, repeatedly makes any form of communication with that person, a member of that person’s immediate family, or someone with whom that person has or has had a continuing relationship, regardless of whether a conversation ensues; or
(c) Repeatedly follows, approaches, contacts, places under surveillance, or makes any form of communication with another person, a member of that person’s immediate family, or someone with whom that person has or has had a continuing relationship in a manner that would cause a reasonable person to suffer serious emotional distress and does cause that person, a member of that person’s immediate family, or someone with whom that person has or has had a continuing relationship to suffer serious emotional distress. For purposes of this paragraph (c), a victim need not show that he or she received professional treatment or counseling to show that he or she suffered serious emotional distress.
Basically, you can be charged with Stalking if you:
- make a threat and then follow, surveil, or contact that person repeatedly;
- make a threat and then follow, surveil, or contact that person’s family member repeatedly; or
- repeatedly follow, surveil, or contact that person or that person’s family member and cause serious emotional distress.
Sentence for Stalking in Loveland and Estes Park
In Fort Collins, Loveland and Estes Park, Stalking is a class 5 felony for a first offense and a class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense. Both are also subject to the modified sentencing range as an extraordinary risk crime. So, the class 5 felony Stalking would be punishable by 1 to 4 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections and the class 4 felony Stalking would be punishable by 2 to 8 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
If you or someone you love has been charged with Stalking, 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 your free initial consultation. Together, we can protect your future.
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