Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor is charged in Loveland and Fort Collins when a person is accused of encouraging a minor to break any law. A father is facing these charges after it was discovered he used his 12 year old son to help in his Theft spree. According to the report, the man and his son stole over $6,500 worth of items from three different stores including Saks 5th Avenue and two Walgreens stores. Surveillance footage shows the father watching his son as he pockets sunglasses, but as they begin to walk away, they are stopped by security. There is a chance that if they had not caught the father watching, they may have just thought it was the son doing the stealing. But, because the man saw it and did nothing to stop it, they connected that he wanted his son to take the items. Both the father and son have been charged with Theft, and the father has the added charge of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.
Larimer County Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor Attorney: How is Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor Charged in Colorado?
The Larimer County, Colorado law definition of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor – C.R.S. 18-6-701 – is:
(b) Any person who induces, aids, or encourages a child to violate any municipal or county ordinance, court order, or state or federal law that is not a felony victims rights act crime as defined in section 24-4.1-302 (1) commits second degree contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
(c) As used in this section, the term ”child“ means any person under the age of eighteen years.
While Theft totaling over $2,000 is a felony crime, Theft is not a victims rights act crime, so the man would be facing Second Degree Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.
Penalty for Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor in Fort Collins
In Fort Collins and Loveland, First Degree Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor is a class 4 felony. This level felony is punishable by 2 to 6 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. Second Degree Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor is a class 1 misdemeanor. The penalty for a class 1 misdemeanor is up to 364 days in the Larimer County Jail.
If you or someone you love has been charged with Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, 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