What is Menacing in Larimer County?
You will be charged with Menacing in Larimer County if you, “by any threat or physical action…knowingly places or attempts to place another person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury.”
– Misdemeanor Menacing
Menacing is a class 3 misdemeanor in Larimer County. The sentence for a class 3 misdemeanor is anywhere from a $50 fine to up to 6 months in the Larimer County Jail.
– Felony Menacing
You will be charged with class 5 felony menacing if the incident involved the use or threat of a deadly weapon. A “deadly weapon” is defined in many ways – it could be a gun, a knife, or any object that can be used to seriously injure someone (this could even be a broken, jagged-edged beer bottle). It is important to realize that you can be arrested and charged with menacing even if you didn’t have a deadly weapon with you at the time of the incident. Colorado statute states:
“Menacing…is a class 5 felony if committed: by the use of a deadly weapon or any article or fashioned in a manner to cause a person to reasonably believe that the article is a deadly weapon or any article; or by the person representing verbally or otherwise that he or she is armed with a deadly weapon.”
We’ll make this very clear: you will be charged with felony menacing if you do or say any of the following:
- Threaten another person with a weapon, such as a handgun.
- Threaten with a bottle, club or tire iron.
- Threaten someone with an item that looks like a gun (even if it’s just a pellet gun).
- Threaten someone by saying that you have a gun or deadly weapon (even if you don’t).
If you are convicted of felony menacing, you could spend from 1-5 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections, and be faced with a fine from $1000 – $100,000.
Why You Need an Experienced Fort Collins Menacing Lawyer
If you are convicted of menacing, there will be many negative effects on your life. An angry outburst after a night out at the bar could very well result in a plea to a criminal offense. It is important to understand that criminal charges (even if it’s a misdemeanor) are not insignificant. A criminal record will follow you throughout your life. A the O’Malley Law Office we understand that your case will have an enormous impact on your future. We treat every case as if our client’s life depended on it. Contact us immediately if you think you may be charged with menacing – often, we are able to work to get a complaint settled before any charges are filed. Don’t try to fight for your future on your own – work with an experienced Fort Collins menacing lawyer who can be your advocate in court.