False Imprisonment is charged in Fort Collins and Larimer County when a person is accused of confining someone without their permission. Recently, a man was accused of this crime after a woman claimed that he attempted to sexually assault her in a bar bathroom. According to the report, the woman had gone to the bathroom and upon entering the women’s restroom, saw a man standing in there with his pants unbuttoned. She immediately left and went to use the men’s restroom. As she tried to close the restroom door, the man pushed the door open and entered after her. She alleged that he pushed her up against the bathroom wall and started to pull his pants down. She fought back and was eventually able to get away and report the incident. He was detained and charged with Attempted Sexual Assault, False Imprisonment and Harassment.
Fort Collins False Imprisonment Lawyer: Definition of False Imprisonment in Colorado
The Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado law definition of False Imprisonment – C.R.S. 18-3-303 – is:
Basically, because the man held the woman in the restroom and wouldn’t let her leave when she wanted to, he is facing this misdemeanor charge. Often, the False Imprisonment cases we see are far less egregious. Usually, it stems from a Domestic Violence incident, where one party is trying to stop another from leaving to continue the conversation by standing in a doorway without there being any physical confrontation.
Sentence for False Imprisonment – Bar Bathroom in Loveland and Estes Park
In Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park, False Imprisonment is a class 2 misdemeanor, unless the following aggravating factors apply:
- Person uses force or threat of force to detain the person; and
- Person detains another for 12 or more hours.
If the aggravating factors apply, then it is charged as a class 5 felony. While the story above does likely meet the using force aspect to confine the woman to the bathroom, she was not held for very long, so the man would be facing the class 2 misdemeanor charge.
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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